A vessel that was hijacked by Somali pirates in April has been released, along with its crew of 17. Security sources in Puntland confirmed to AFP that a ransom was paid to secure the release of the ship, which had been used as a mothership during the piracy incident.
The Gulf of Aden and Somalia coasts have seen a resurgence in piracy since April, according to figures from the International Maritime Organisation, with at least 15 attacks off this year, the highest since 2013.
“The crew are still on board but the pirates made their way to the shore and entered multiple vehicles, then entered” Garacad, he said, “they received money to release the ship”, the source added without giving a figure. Vehicles were waiting for the pirates on shore before they reach Garacad, “meaning they might have been in contact with their network on land while out at sea”, another Puntland security source said.
Somalia’s federal government has said the Lutuf was released after “sustained military pressure” by Turkish navy and Somalia armed forces during which four boats used by the pirates were destroyed and 14 pirates were killed.
