Four South Korean Crew Still Held
Pirates have released the Singapore-flagged MT Gemini and 21 crew members, although they have kept a hold of four South Korean seamen who were on the ship, pirates and maritime officials said Thursday.
The MT Gemini was taken on April 30, and pirates had initially demanded $5 million for its release. There was no information on the size of the ransom.
“The Singaporean vessel has been released on Wednesday late after payment, but they kept the South Korean crew … because they want six of their colleagues jailed in South Korea to be released,” Mu’min Ali, a Haradhere-based pirate, told Somalia Report. “The ransom amount is not clear, as pirate groups don’t like to reveal how much they got these days.”
The vessel was left anchored at Hobyo, he said.
Nairobi-based diplomats said the vessel would shortly get underway, and that the four Koreans were taken to an unknown destination on shore.
The Singapore-based owner Glory Ship Management confirmed the release in a statement.
“The pirates … released 21 of the 25 crew on board but took four South Korean seamen, including the captain, ashore at the last moment despite earlier promises to release the entire all-man crew,” Reuters news agency reported the company as saying. “We are relieved that 21 of the crew have been released and are in good health. We will expedite their speedy return home. In the meantime we are expending all efforts to secure the release of the four South Koreans still held as hostage.”
In July pirates threatened to kill the crew South Korean hostages.
The 25 crew was made up of 13 Indonesians, 5 Chinese, 3 Myanmar, and 4 South Koreans.
Source: Neptune Maritime Security
