Somali pirates said they freed a Greek ship on Thursday that they hijacked more than six months ago as it sailed to the Middle East from Brazil. But there were contradictory reports about whether the Maltese-flagged vessel had actually been released, and the Ukrainian government denied it.
The Ariana was carrying 24 Ukrainian crew when it was seized on May 2 north of the capital Mogadishu. The ship belongs to All Oceans shipping in Greece. Last month, the pirates said they had agreed a $3.5 million ransom and expected to release the vessel soon. "After days of negotiations we freed the Greek ship Ariana today," an associate of the gang named Abdinor told Reuters by telephone from the coastal town of Haradheere.
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