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| Somali pirates free Belgian ship | Somali pirates free Belgian ship |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Somali pirates have released a Belgian dredging ship and its crew two months after they were captured, the Belgian prime minister has said. | |
| "We were... informed that the entire crew is in good health," Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy said in a statement. | "We were... informed that the entire crew is in good health," Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy said in a statement. |
| Officials say a ransom was paid for the release of the ship, MV Pompei, and its 10 crew: a Dutch captain, two Belgians, three Filipinos, and four Croats. | |
| It was hijacked on 18 April some 150km (93 miles) north of the Seychelles. | It was hijacked on 18 April some 150km (93 miles) north of the Seychelles. |
| See map of how piracy is affecting the region and countries around the world | |
| The Pompei was the first Belgian ship to be seized by Somali pirates. | The Pompei was the first Belgian ship to be seized by Somali pirates. |
| At the time of its capture, it had been on its way to South Africa from Dubai, where it was helping to build artificial islands. | At the time of its capture, it had been on its way to South Africa from Dubai, where it was helping to build artificial islands. |
| About 160 contacts we had by telephone, and all the time discussions about the ransom Jaak RaseBelgian government class="" href="/2/hi/africa/8103585.stm">Postcard from pirate capital class="" href="/2/hi/africa/8080098.stm">Inside story of a sea raid class="" href="/2/hi/africa/8096137.stm">World's worst job? | |
| Last week, a Dutch cargo ship was released after being held by Somali pirates since early May. One Ukrainian sailor was shot dead and eight other crew members injured. | Last week, a Dutch cargo ship was released after being held by Somali pirates since early May. One Ukrainian sailor was shot dead and eight other crew members injured. |
| The release of the Pompei brings the number of ships still held by pirates down to 12, with a total of some 200 crew, according to the International Maritime Bureau. | |
| The director of the Belgian government's crisis centre, Jaak Rase, told the BBC a ransom had been paid, but did not say how much. | |
| "This was the only way to free and to put an end to this hijacking," he said. "So, originally we had the question of the Somali person that $8m (£4.8m) was the amount they asked us [for]. | |
| "About 160 contacts we had by telephone, and all the time there were discussions about the ransom." | |
| Ransom drop | |
| Defence Minister Pieter De Crem told reporters in Brussels that 10 pirates had abandoned the ship early on Sunday, a day after a plane dropped the ransom cash into the sea near the Pompei, reported AP news agency. | |
| Earlier this month, EU ministers agreed to extend an anti-piracy operation - known as Atalanta - off the Horn of Africa until the end of 2010. | Earlier this month, EU ministers agreed to extend an anti-piracy operation - known as Atalanta - off the Horn of Africa until the end of 2010. |
| Two dozen ships from European Union nations, including Britain, France, Germany and Italy, patrol an area of about two million square miles. | |
| Operation Atalanta's new commander, Rear Adm Peter Hudson, told the BBC last week that successful pirate attacks had fallen in the past six months, but said a "full solution" lay ashore, not at sea. | Operation Atalanta's new commander, Rear Adm Peter Hudson, told the BBC last week that successful pirate attacks had fallen in the past six months, but said a "full solution" lay ashore, not at sea. |
| He said the key was to bring stability to Somalia, which has been without a stable government since 1991. | He said the key was to bring stability to Somalia, which has been without a stable government since 1991. |
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| When first loaded, the map's focus falls on Somalia where most of the pirates are based. Use the arrow icons to scroll left towards Europe and the United States which are both playing a central role in tackling the problem. | When first loaded, the map's focus falls on Somalia where most of the pirates are based. Use the arrow icons to scroll left towards Europe and the United States which are both playing a central role in tackling the problem. |
| Scroll to the right for a story about the Philippines, which supplies many of the world's mariners. | Scroll to the right for a story about the Philippines, which supplies many of the world's mariners. |
| You can zoom in for more detail by using the "+" or "-" signs on the upper left hand side. | You can zoom in for more detail by using the "+" or "-" signs on the upper left hand side. |
| Return to top | Return to top |