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Somali Pirates Free Sick Hostage

18 December 2010 01:36 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Somali pirates have allowed an international anti-piracy mission to evacuate a sick Tunisian crew member from a ship they seized last month, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.
An inflatable boat from a Thai warship retrieved the man on Friday. He was then taken by helicopter to a German warship.
The crew member from the ship Hannibal II is believed to be suffering from appendicitis.
The European Union mission said the ship’s captain alerted authorities about the ailing sailor on Thursday and said the pirates had agreed to transfer him.
Also Friday, a court on the island nation of Seychelles sentenced nine Somali pirates to 22 years in jail each for hijacking two vessels in March. The group captured a Seychelles fishing boat first, and after running out of fuel, took over an Iranian ship.
The Seychelles coast guard rescued the crews of both vessels after trading fire with the pirates.
Fifteen suspected Somali pirates are still awaiting trial in the Seychelles.