Somali piracy has become a major international issue
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A German-flagged cargo ship captured by Somali pirates and held for nearly four months has been released after a ransom was paid, officials say. The Hansa Stavanger cargo ship was seized in April far out to sea, some 400 miles (645 km) from the Somali port of Kismayu. A ransom, reportedly some $2.7m (£1.6m), was paid to the pirates. The release of the vessel and its 24 crew members was delayed while the ransom was raised. A pirate named only as Hassan told Reuters news agency: "We are now in Haradheere town. We left the ship after we took the money. I believe it has sailed away." A spokesman for the European Union's anti-piracy mission confirmed that the ship and her crew had been released. The vessel was under the protection of European naval forces, the spokesman said. Somalia has been without a functioning central government since 1991, allowing pirates to operate in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Earlier in June the EU, which co-operates with Nato in the region, agreed to extend its anti-piracy operation there 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.
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