Pirates Paid To Release Tanker

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NAIROBI, KENYA (GaeaTimes.com)- On Friday the European Union’s anti-piracy force said that the Somali pirates released a UK-flagged chemical tanker only after it was paid a ransom. The pirates were holding the chemical tanker for more than four months. The European Union said that the pirates were paid the ransom on Thursday adding that the ship named St. James Park is now moving towards Thailand, the place it was destined for. However, the authorities did not disclose how much the pirates were paid as a ransom.

The British flagged St. James Park had 26 crew members all of whom have been released by the Somali pirates. The statement claimed that the amount of money was dropped at Somalia’s port of Garacad. The statement said that the ship’s situation as it moves towards Thailand is now being monitored by the European Union anti-piracy mission. The authorities did not divulge any more information to the news media sources.

The pirates captured St. James Park on 28 December 2009 in the Gulf of Aden. The crew members of the ship included people from Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Turkey, India, Ukraine, Poland and Philippines. The ship was reportedly carrying a cargo of chemicals that are used to make plastics. Though the ship has been freed by the EU after the payment of the ransom, sources claim that there are still around 20 vessels that are under the seizure of the Somali pirates. Though the European Union Anti-Piracy mission has been trying hard to annihilate the Somali pirates and make the route safe for the ships, the piracy has seen an increase in the Gulf of Aden area.