MOSCOW, April 13 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Foreign Ministry officially confirmed on Monday that Somali pirates have released the Norwegian-owned chemical tanker Bow Asir with a Russian crewmember onboard.
"According to reports from Russian embassies in Kenya and Norway, Somali pirates have released the Bow Asir tanker, seized on March 26," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Bahamas-flagged vessel with 27 crewmembers - a Norwegian captain and Russian first officer, as well as 19 Filipinos, five Poles, and one Lithuanian - was captured some 500 km (250 nautical miles) east of the port of Kismayo in southern Somalia.
It was released on Friday after the owners paid a ransom, the Norway Post newspaper reported, adding that the pirates had demanded $2.4 million.
