Somali pirates free Saudi supertanker

By Abdi Sheikh

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali pirates freed a Saudi supertanker seized in the world's biggest ship hijacking for a $3 million ransom on Friday, an associate of the gang said.

The capture of the Sirius Star and its $100 million cargo of crude in November drew attention to a surge in piracy off Somalia that has brought global navies rushing to protect one of the world's most important shipping lanes.

Farah Osman, speaking to Reuters from Haradheere port near where the tanker had been held, said the pirates had wanted more money but finally agreed $3 million for the ship.

A regional maritime group confirmed the release.

"The last batch of gunmen have disembarked from the Sirius Star. She is now steaming out to safe waters," said Andrew Mwangura, of the East African Seafarers Assistance programme, based in the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

There was no immediate comment from Vela International, the Dubai-based shipping arm of Saudi Aramco, which operates the ship.

The Sirius Star was captured in November with 25 crew members, 450 nautical miles southeast of Kenya in the boldest seizure to date by Somali pirates.

The rampant piracy off Somalia worsened dramatically in 2008 as an Islamist insurgency fuelled chaos onshore.