JEDDAH – Somali pirates are likely to release the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star within 72 hours since a ransom deal has been struck, a source said Monday without revealing the ransom amount.
“The negotiators on behalf of the owners of the Sirius Star have agreed to pay a ransom,” Abubakr Dari, one of the negotiators, said by telephone.Representatives of Saudi Aramco subsidiary Vela International, which owns the supertanker, have been in contact with tribesmen and the pirates’ representatives in the Somali port of Harardhere.
Dari said the supertanker is anchored in Somalia’s Habio Port, 25 km away from Harardhere. All the 25 crew members were well and even allowed to make phone calls to their relatives, he said, adding that an American woman is among the negotiators for Vela International.However, Yusuf Adso, secretary general of the Somali Foreign Ministry, said “there is no certain information” about a deal but a “massive effort involving a heavy presence of Somali tribesmen is being exerted to release the supertanker in the next few days.”According to unconfirmed reports, the ransom amount has come down from an initial $25 million to $3.5 million. – Okaz/SG
By Faheem Al-Hamid
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/
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