Spanish Fishing Boat Released by Pirates

The Spanish fishing boat captured by pirates last week has released by pirates.

The 26 crew members onboard a fishing boat hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia nearly a week ago have been freed, Spanish and Somali authorities said Saturday.

"The ship is free and the pirates disappeared into their villages," said Abdi Khalif Ahmed, chairman of Haradhere port local authority in central Somalia, by telephone.

Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega declined to say if a ransom had been paid to the hijackers, insisting the release of the Playa de Bakio had been achieved by "cooperation and diplomacy."

"The fishing boat Bakio has been liberated and is now sailing in total freedom, escorted by a Spanish frigate toward safer waters," De la Vega told a news conference.

The ransom paid was $1.2 million according to some news reports. We predict the next attack will occur by the end of the week. It is our observations that as one episode ends, another begins within a few days. Spain intends to take the issue of piracy before the EU on Tuesday.