Hijacked British ship with 8 Indians freed

MUMBAI - After an ordeal lasting nearly five months, a hijacked ship with 26 crew members, including 8 Indians, was released Thursday, the top Indian maritime authority said here Friday.

The ship, MT St. James Park, bearing a Britain flag, was hijacked by Somali pirates Dec 28 last year, the Directorate-General of Shipping here said.

When the vessel was taken over by Somali pirates off the Gulf of Aden, it had 26 crew members on board, including 8 Indians.

The ship’s owners have informed that all the crew members were safe and the vessel was currently sailing to a safe port, according to DGS.

The identity and other details of the released Indian sailors were not yet known.