Athens: Greek officials say Somali pirates have freed a Greek-owned cargo ship and its 22-member crew held since November after receiving a ransom payment.
A coast guard statement says the Filitsa was freed today along with its crew: three Greeks, 18 Filipinos and a Romanian. Officials say the crew members are in good health.
The ship`s owner, Order Shipping, confirmed that a ransom had been paid but refused to declare the sum.
The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was seized on November 11 in the Gulf of Aden.
Pirates can often command multi-million dollar ransoms for the release of the vessels they capture, a fortune in impoverished Somalia.
Somali pirates seized 47 vessels last year. They are holding about 200 crew members hostage.
PTI
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