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Russian sailors returned home from pirate captivity
03/15/2010 |
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Russian crewmembers of seiner Thai Union-3 recently released from pirates have returned to Russia by transit flight through Seychelles and Qatar. The ship's complement spent over four months as captives at Somali pirate base.
Group of 23 arrived to Moscow from Doha by common flight of Qatar Airlines. In Domodedovo Airport they were met by journalists.
According to chief mate Andrei Rygalov, native country hosted former captives not too hospitably; after landing in Moscow each crewmember was thoroughly inspected. In Seychelles and Qatar Russians were not checked.
During four months of captivity all sailors reduced by 10-20 kg. They declined to tell about treatment at pirate base.
Most of sailors have not reached their homes yet. Only two of them stay in Moscow and twenty sailors will leave for Kaliningrad tonight. The shipmaster Sergei Kharlan will go to Belarus.
Tuna seiner Thai Union-3 belonging to Thai company grouping Thai Union was hijacked by Somali pirates on Oct 29, 2009. The ship with 23 Russians, 2 Ghanaians and 2 Filipinos was released only on March 7.
It has not been reported how they persuaded pirates to set the ship and complement free. According to Reuters, however, pirates got a $3 mln ransom.