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5 Somali Pirates Drown With Ransom Share

Tanker released after $3M airdrop, but pirate boat flips in storm

By the Associated Press

Posted Jan 10, 2009 7:40 AM CST
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(AP) – Five of the Somali pirates who released a hijacked oil-laden Saudi supertanker yesterday drowned with their share of a reported $3 million ransom after their small boat capsized, the AP reports. The boat, with eight people on board, overturned in a storm; three people reached shore after swimming for several hours. Dozens of pirates left the supertanker Sirius Star after a small aircraft dropped bundles of cash by parachute to end a two-month standoff in the Gulf of Aden.

On the same day the Saudi ship was freed, pirates released a captured Iranian-chartered cargo ship, Iran's state television reported today. It said the ship Daylight was carrying 36 tons of wheat when it was attacked in the Gulf of Aden Nov. 18 and seized by pirates. All 25 crew are in good health and the vessel is sailing toward Iran, the TV report said.

A parachute dropped by a small aircraft over the MV Sirius Star Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, during an apparent payment via a parachuted container to pirates holding the ship.
A parachute dropped by a small aircraft over the MV Sirius Star Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, during an apparent payment via a parachuted container to pirates holding the ship.   (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Air Crewman 2nd Class David B. Hudson)
A parachute dropped by a small aircraft drops over the Sirius Star at anchor following an apparent payment via a parachuted container to pirates holding the ship.
A parachute dropped by a small aircraft drops over the Sirius Star at anchor following an apparent payment via a parachuted container to pirates holding the ship.   (AP Photo/David B. Hudson)
The Liberian-flagged oil tanker MV Sirius Star sits at anchor, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008 in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia.
The Liberian-flagged oil tanker MV Sirius Star sits at anchor, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008 in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia.   (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Petty Officer 2nd Class William S. Stevens)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
Michael_CT
Jan 11, 2009 11:35 PM CST
Karma, gotta love it. so beautiful!
Guest
Jan 11, 2009 7:49 PM CST
Justice prevails, if only in a ironic way.
jimeagle
Jan 11, 2009 5:16 AM CST
karma certainly is a bitch, aint' it?

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.


Pirates release another ship
Reuters

 
Somalia • piracy • drowning • pirates • ransom

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