Somali pirates on Thursday released a Turkish-owned cargo ship and its crew of 21 people nearly four months after seizing the vessel, a company lawyer said.
"The pirates abandoned the ship, the Frigia, at 7:25 am (0425 GMT) this morning. It has since been under the captain's control," said Nilgun Yamaner, who represents the ship's owners, the Istanbul-based Kayra shipping company.
The ship's crew of 19 Turks and two Ukranians were in good health, she added.
"We have talked to the captain. They are all very excited and happy," Yamaner added.
The Maltese-flagged vessel was seized by pirates on March 23 in the Indian Ocean about a day after passing through the warship-patrolled transit corridor in the Gulf of Aden, which commercial vessels are encouraged to use.
The 35,000-tonne ship had been sailing from Israel to Thailand with a load of fertilizer when it was kidnapped.
The lawyer said the ship's release had been secured through negotiations but would not say if a ransom had been paid. |
