MFA: it may take months to free the Estonian sailor

  • 2012-10-24

TALLINN - Estonian Foreign Ministry said that it may take months to free the Estonian seaman and his Russian colleagues, who were abducted last week in Nigeria, LETA/Public Broadcasting reports.

The ministry's spokeswoman Minna-Liina Lind said that the work to free the abducted seamen is conducted in cooperation with the ship's owner company, but also representatives of Russia and Nigeria.

"Earlier similar cases in that region have unfortunately taken weeks but also months before reaching a solution," she added.

Seven crew members, including one Estonian citizen, of the ship Bourbon Liberty 249 were abducted on Oct. 15 near the Nigerian coast. Russian foreign ministry announced recently that men are alive and well and abductors treat them normally.