Somali pirates free Liberian-flagged tanker
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somali pirates have freed a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker after a ransom was dropped onto its deck, a regional maritime official said on Saturday.
The MT Biscaglia had 30 crew on board: 25 Indians, three Britons and two Bangladeshis. It was hijacked on November 28.
"She is now sailing out to sea from Somalia ... the vessel was released following a ransom by air-drop," said Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of Kenyan-based regional maritime group the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme.
No other details were immediately available.
Gunmen from Somalia caused havoc in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes last year, hijacking dozens of ships and making tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments.
The attacks have raised insurance costs, prompted some owners to go round South Africa instead of via the Suez Canal and triggered an unprecedented deployment by foreign navies.
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
Dubai Debt Fears
Banks outside the Gulf played down their exposure to Dubai debt, after fears the emirate could default and even derail world economic recovery prompted a sell-off in global markets. Full Article | Slideshow
One Year Later
Mumbai held tearful memorials and police staged a show of strength as it marked the first anniversary of militant raids that killed 166 people and pushed up tensions with Pakistan. Slideshow | Full Coverage
