“Negotiators (representing the Korean sailors) already reached a written agreement with the Somali captors on their release last week, following an earlier verbal agreement,” Yonhap said.
“We have to wait several more hours to secure their release one hundred percent. We’re now in the process of implementing the written agreement,” he said, refusing to confirm whether the sailors left the East African country or not.
Another government source, however, said the eight sailors left a Somali port aboard their fishing vessel and were expected to reach international waters in about two hours. “After arriving in international waters, the sailors will be sent to South Korea,” said the source.
The eight sailors on the tuna ship belonging to South Korea’s Dongwon Fisheries Co. were abducted along with 17 other crew members from other Asian nations in the sea off the East African country on April 4.
The 17 non-Korean sailors are nine Indonesians, five Vietnamese and three Chinese. The Somali abductors, known to be pirates, reportedly sought a huge ransom.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has engaged in earnest diplomatic efforts to gain their release.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press, confirming the imminent release of the sailors, reported that a ransom of more than US$800,000 was paid for the freeing of all 25 crew members.
Source: The Seoul Times, July 30, 2006
