Pirates say Saudi ship freed after a $3 million airdrop

MOGADISHU, Somalia - After reportedly receiving a $3 million ransom dropped by parachute, pirates said they released a captured Saudi supertanker yesterday, ending a two-month drama that helped galvanize international efforts to fight piracy off Africa's coast.

U.S. Navy photos showed a parachute, carrying what officials described as "an apparent payment," floating toward the tanker, which had been held with its 25-member crew since Nov. 15.

Mohamed Said, a negotiator with the pirates, said by telephone that the ship was released and traveling to "safe waters" after the payment of $3 million, far less than the $25 million initially sought.

The owner of the Liberian-flagged tanker, Vela International Marine Ltd., declined to comment on the claim. Combined Military Forces patrolling the waters issued a statement saying: "It appears Somali pirates have received payment for the very large crude tanker Sirius Star."

The seizure of the Sirius Star, which is the size of an aircraft carrier and filled with two million barrels of oil valued at $100 million, capped a string of increasingly audacious attacks by Somalian pirates. Not only was it the largest ship to have been hijacked, but it also was taken in the Indian Ocean more than 500 miles southeast of Mombasa, Kenya, demonstating growing capability on the part of the pirates.

Until then, most hijackings had occurred closer to the Somalian coast in the Gulf of Aden, one of the busiest shipping channels in the world, leading to and from the Suez Canal.

International efforts to combat piracy have increased since the tanker's capture, and its release comes one day after the Navy announced that a new international force under American command would soon begin patrols to confront Somalian pirates.

More than a hundred ships were attacked last year. More than a dozen with about 300 crew members are still being held by pirates off the coast of Somalia, including the weapons-laden Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was seized in September.

"While the potential release of the Sirius Star is undoubtedly excellent news," said Commodore Tim Lowe, deputy commander of the new force, "we must not forget that nearly 300 other merchant mariners are still being held captive.

"The men who attacked the ship and held the crew hostage are armed criminals and consequently, we must remain steadfast in our efforts to address the international problem of piracy."

From 12 to 14 international warships currently patrol the waters off the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean seeking to prevent pirate attacks on cargo vessels, according to Cmdr. Jane Campbell, spokeswoman for the Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrain.