Somalia - pirates, kidnappings

Ransom secures Greek ship as freed journalists fly out

Article published on the 2009-11-26 Latest update 2009-11-27 07:31 TU

Freed hostages Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan, in Mogadishu Wednesday
(Photo: Reuters)

Somali pirates said Thursday they had released a Greek cargo vessel and its Ukrainian crew after a payment of 665,000 euros. The announcement comes on the same day two journalists from Canada and Australia flew out of the country after a 15-month hostage ordeal.

"After serious negotiations over the past four days, the Ariana is free after the payment of 3.7 million dollars," Somali pirate Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamoud told AFP.

The Maltese-flagged vessel was seized north of Madagascar on May 2 while on its way to the Middle East from Brazil. It was carrying 10,000 tonnes of soya beans.

The ship is owned by the Athens-based All Ocean Shipping company, which is in turn owned by a British conglomerate.

Meanwhile Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout, and fellow freelancer Nigel Brennan, from Australia, on Thursday boarded a small private plane at Mogadishu airport for an unknown destination under escort by pro-government militia.

Lindhout earlier told an interviewer how she had been beaten and tortured by her captors and said a million dollar ransom had been paid to secure their release.

Somali National Security Minister Mohamed Abdullahi said a smaller ransom was paid for the pair.

Lindhout told Canadian broadcaster CTV by telephone she spent her captivity "sitting in a corner on the floor 24 hours a day for the last 15 months. There were times that I was beaten, that I was tortured."

"It was extremely oppressive," she added. "I was kept by myself at all times. I had no one to speak to. I was normally kept in a room with a light, no window, I had nothing to write on or with. There was very little food."

The two were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in August 2008 on a road just outside Mogadishu on their way to visit camps for people forced to flee fighting in the capital.

A Somali journalist and two drivers were also taken hostage but freed after 177 days.