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| Somali pirates 'free Greek ship' | Somali pirates 'free Greek ship' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A Greek ship with a Ukrainian crew that was held by Somali pirates for more than seven months has been freed, Ukraine's president says. | A Greek ship with a Ukrainian crew that was held by Somali pirates for more than seven months has been freed, Ukraine's president says. |
| President Viktor Yushchenko made the announcement after Ariana's owners said they had paid an undisclosed sum to secure the ship's release. | President Viktor Yushchenko made the announcement after Ariana's owners said they had paid an undisclosed sum to secure the ship's release. |
| Pirates claimed that they received nearly $3m (£1.8m) in ransom. | |
| The ship and its 24-strong crew were captured as it sailed south-west of the Seychelles on 2 May. | The ship and its 24-strong crew were captured as it sailed south-west of the Seychelles on 2 May. |
| "I congratulate the nation, and I congratulate the families on the successful operation to free our sailors," said Mr Yuschenko. | |
| He said a plane would soon bring the crew back to Ukraine. | |
| The Ukrainian sailors were in good health, said Spyros Minas, director of Alloceans Shipping - the company which owns the vessel. | |
| The Maltese-flagged ship, said to be carrying 35,000 tons of soya, was sailing from the Middle East to Brazil when it was captured, according to a seafarers' organisation. | |
| Shipping off the Horn of Africa has been plagued by piracy for years. | Shipping off the Horn of Africa has been plagued by piracy for years. |