EU naval force: Ransom drop made for Greek-owned carrier seized by pirates 2 months ago
By APSaturday, February 27, 2010
Ransom drop made for Greek ship seized by pirates
NAIROBI, Kenya — The European Union Naval Force says a ransom drop has been made for the release of a Greek-owned bulk carrier seized by pirates two months ago.
The naval force said the drop took place Saturday morning but the amount of money involved was not released.
A crew of 18 Filipinos and one Greek citizen is on board the Navios Apollon. The carrier was seized about 200 nautical miles east of the Seychelles and had been headed to Thailand.
Somali pirates currently hold at least six ships and more than 100 crew.
Piracy is one of the few ways to make money in the country torn apart by civil war. The Somali government can’t send forces to counter the flourishing pirate bases that dot its 1,900-mile (3,100-kilometer)-long coastline.
