TALLINN - Pirates off the coast of Somalia have released the crew of a Danish cargo ship that was attacked last November. The freed hostages are reportedly unharmed.
"According to the operator of the ship, the crew members are fine and feeling well. It is a great pleasureand relief to be able to inform the sailors' families aboutthis," Foreign Minister Urmas Paet was reported by the Baltic News Service as saying.
The pirates released the hostages after receiving a ransom payment.
The operator of the ship, the Danish company ClipperGroup, announced early on Friday pirates released the CECFuture and its crew of 13 of whom five are Estonianresidents, the Estonian Foreign Ministry reported.
The Foreign Ministry is prepared to offer whatever aid is necessary to get the Estonian crew members home,spokespeople said.
