Somali pirates release ship with Pinoys on $2M ransom

After nearly a year in captivity crewmembers of an Algerian-owned ship — two of them Filipinos — regained their freedom as Somali pirates released their ship. The pirates freed the MV Blida and its crew of 25 after accepting a $2-million ransom from the shipowners, the Somalia Report website said Thursday night. The Somalia Report quoted a pirate who said the ransom was much lower than the $7 million they originally demanded for the ship and its crew. Apart from the Filipinos, the MV Blida's crew included 17 Algerians, six Ukrainians, one Jordanian and one Indonesian. Two crewmembers were taken off the vessel by the US Navy in October for medical reasons. The Somalia Report quoted one Mohamed Ahmed as saying the cash was dropped on Wednesday evening, and the pirates released the ship Thursday morning after "counting and dividing the money." Last August, the pirates threatened to kill the crew amid demands for a $4 million-$7 million ransom. The pirates seized the vessel on Jan. 1, about 130 miles southeast of the Port of Salalah, Oman as the vessel was on its way to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. MV Blida's is managed by Greece-based Sekur Holdings Inc., while her registered owner is International Bulk Carriers of Algeria, a subsidiary of the Algerian National Company of Navigation. — VS, GMA News