Ransom paid to free British tanker: EU mission

Brussels: The owners of a British chemical
tanker, held by Somali pirates since December, paid a ransom
to secure the release of the ship and its 26 crew including
six Indians, the EU anti-piracy mission announced on Friday.

The EU mission said in a statement that a ransom was
dropped to the pirates holding the St James Park in the Somali
port of Garacaad yesterday.

The 14,000 tonne freighter had been heading for Thailand
when it was seized on December 28. The statement said the crew
included six Indians, five Bulgarians, three Turkish, three
Filipinos, three Russians, two Romanians, two Ukrainians, one
Georgian and one Pole.

PTI