All 25 crew are in good health and the vessel is sailing towards Iran, the TV report said. ![]() ![]() It said the ship, Daylight, was carrying 36 tonnes of wheat when it was attacked in the Gulf of Aden on 18 November and seized by pirates. On the same day the Saudi ship was freed, pirates released a captured Iranian-chartered cargo ship, Iran's state television reported today. The capture was seen as a dramatic demonstration of the pirates' ability to strike high-value targets hundreds of miles offshore. Its cargo of crude oil was valued at $100m at the time. The Sirius Star and its 25-member crew had been held since 15 November. We are very happy to report to their families that they will be on their way home soon." "This has been a very trying time for them and certainly for their families. Vela's president, Saleh K'aki, said: "We are very relieved to know that all the crew members are safe and I am glad to say that they are all in good health and high spirits. US navy photos showed a parachute, carrying what they described as "an apparent payment", floating towards the tanker. The Saudi owners of the ship, Vela International, today confirmed that the vessel and crew had been released.Īmong the frees hostages were two British crewmen, chief engineer Peter French, from County Durham, and James Grady, from Renfrewshire. Jamal Abdulle, a resident of the Somali coastal town of Haradhere, close to where the ship was anchored, also confirmed that the boat sank and that the portion of the ransom money that had been shared between dozens of pirates was lost. He said five people died and three people reached the shore after swimming for several hours.
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