Somali #Pirates free 26 Asian sailors - Naham 3 crew freed after 4 years - #marsec

Somali pirates have freed 26 sailors who have been held captive for more than four years.

The crew on board the Naham 3 were taken hostage after their fishing vessel was hijacked in March 2012, south of the Seychelles.

The sailors, who were kept captive in a small fishing village, will now be returned to their home countries.

There were originally 29 crew members, but one sailor died during the hijacking and another two died due to illness while in captivity.

The crew, the second longest-held hostages by Somali pirates, consists of sailors from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

John Steed, who helped negotiate their release, said in a statement: 'We are very pleased to announce the release of the Naham 3 crew early this morning. 'They have spent over four and a half years in deplorable conditions away from their families.'

A ransom is believed to have been paid and international mediators said it 'represents the end of captivity for the last remaining seafarers taken hostage during the height of Somali piracy' Daily Mail

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