Somali pirates free Greek freighter for ransom

Published: 5:46PM GMT twenty-eight February 2010

"EU NAVFOR can right away endorse that the Greek owned Panama flagged Bulk Carrier the Navios Apollon that was hijacked on the twenty-eight of Dec has been expelled this sunrise of twenty-eight February," the mission"s domicile pronounced in a statement.

The redeem of the 52,000-tonne ship, the Greek captain and eighteen Filipino organisation members came the day after an vague ransom was paid to the pirates.

Pirates seize dual European tankers off Somalia Somali pirates helped by comprehension collected in London Somali pirates: discovered US captain on warship as it saves freighter Somali pirates put down Ukranian warrant rebel Somali pirates who hijacked supertanker Sirius Star direct ransom of $25m

It was the second such ransom dump and redeem in days, with governments and companies in a quandary over the need to redeem their ships and crews among fears that ransoms inspire serve piracy.

The liberated Greek ship, that had been hijacked in the Indian Ocean whilst en track to Thailand, was on the approach to Oman, NAVFOR said.

The boat creatively carried a load of fertilizer but it was not transparent if it was still on board, a orator for the Greek association added.

Britain warned early this month that ransom payments could inspire some-more kidnaps, but denied restraint an eccentric adjudicator from perplexing to determine a cost for a British integrate hold warrant in Somalia given Oct 23.

Somali pirates, targeting one of the world"s busiest nautical traffic routes, raked in an estimated 60 million dollars in ransoms last year.

After the ultimate releases, they still hold 4 vessels and 99 seafarers, according to NAVFOR orator Commander John Harbour.

The EU NAVFOR Atalanta mission is tasked with escorting businessman vessels carrying charitable assist and to strengthen exposed ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.