Somalia: Pirates Release Greece Ship After the Payment of Ransom

Abdalle Ahmed
RBC Radio

Harardhere (RBC Radio)   Somali pirates released on Thursday, a Greek ship, Ariana, carrying a crew of 24 Ukrainians, after a helicopter dropped a ransom of three millions of dollars, RBC Radio reports.

The release of Ariana comes after detention for more than six months.

Ariana which is  Maltese flaged was kidnaped May 2, while returning from Brazil to Middle East.

Ship’s owners said earlier on Thursday that they had paid a ransom to the pirates did not declare their value.

“The ship was released a few hours ago … and left the pirates and  is now sailing towards the Middle East”, Said Spyros Minas Company President  of the first Ocean’s shipping.

A source from the pirates, told Reuters earlier on Thursday that the helicopter was shot down $ 2.6 million on the back of the ship. One of the pirates and named Farah said by telephone “We have received $ 2.6 million ransom for the release of the Greek ship”.

Somali pirates had collected tens of millions of dollars in ransom after seizing merchant ships in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, a strategically location withhin the corridor that links between Europe and Asia.

It seems that the efforts of multinational naval forces deployed in the region has not only resulted in the payment of these pirates to launch attacks far from the seashore.
RBC Radio