Pirates paid €2.5m to free ship

SOMALI pirates have released a Ukrainian ship carrying tanks following a ransom payment.

The MV Faina was captured in September with its 20-man crew and a cargo of 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks plus other weapons. The seizure drew international attention, not only for its military cargo, but for a regional row over the destination of the tanks.

“The last group of pirates has got down now and MV Faina is released,” the negotiator, who asked not to be named, said yesterday.