Somali pirates free Bermuda-flagged ship, ransom paid

Somali pirates have released the Bermudan-flagged MV Talca which was seized on March 23 on its way to Iran from Egypt, a maritime official said on Tuesday.

"We don't know how much ransom was paid but there was a ransom," Andrew Mwangura, head of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme, told Reuters by telephone.

Mwangura said the vessel had been released either late on Monday evening or early on Tuesday. It was unclear where the vessel was now heading.

Mwangura said he believed the reefer's crew of 23 Sri Lankans, one Filipino and one Syrian were safe as there had been no "quarrels" with the pirates during negotiations.

Russian news agencies quoted a military source as saying 10 pirates released on the open sea after hijacking a Russian oil tanker last week never made shore and are likely dead.


Reuters