Somali pirates have released the general cargo vessel MV Sward and all 17 crew members after holding the ship for about 138 days.
The Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged vessel was released near Garacad, Puntland, on September 11. Pirates seized the ship off Somalia on April 26 while it was sailing from the Suez Canal towards Mombasa. MV Sward was carrying about 4,500 tonnes of subsidised fertiliser when it was hijacked.
The crew comprises 15 Syrian and two Indian nationals. All 17 seafarers were reported safe and in good health after their release.
Puntland security sources told AFP that a ransom was paid. The amount has not been confirmed. Various reports have cited figures ranging from about $200,000 to $2.7 million.
During its four-and-a-half-month captivity, the vessel was reportedly used as a mothership, allowing the pirates to operate farther from the Somali coast. Security sources linked MV Sward to the subsequent seizure of two Iranian fishing vessels and the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship MV Lutuf.
The release comes amid renewed concerns over Somali piracy, with recent incidents indicating that armed groups are again using captured vessels to extend their operating range in the region.
