Somali pirates unhappy over Faina ransom delays
The Somali pirates holding the Ukrainian cargo ship the Faina are disgruntled with delays in the payment of a ransom, the Ukrainian ICTV television station said on Monday, citing a pirate.
According to the pirate, who called himself Ahmed, an agreement on the payment of a ransom was reached last week but the ship's owners have yet to hand over the money.
On Friday, Mikhail Boytenko, editor of the Sovfracht maritime bulletin, said that according to various sources, "A vessel is approaching the Faina to pay the ransom."
"The U.S. military has moved away from the Faina to create a corridor for the ransom to be delivered, and to guarantee the pirates safe exit from the ship," he said. U.S. Navy warships had earlier surrounded the vessel.
No details on who was paying the ransom, or the sum involved, were given. There is also no information as to whether the vessel delivered the ransom.
The Faina, carrying 33 T-72 tanks and other heavy weaponry, was seized by Somali pirates on September 25. The pirates initially demanded a $35 million ransom, but recent information suggests the figure has fallen to $3.5 million.
The crew is made up of 17 Ukrainians, three Russians, and one Latvian. The Russian captain of the Faina, Vladimir Kolobkov, died of a heart attack after the vessel was seized, and his body is still on board.
Somali pirates have attacked around 90 ships so far this year, resulting in the seizure of around 39 vessels, including 200 crew members. The east African nation has been without a functioning government since 1991.