ALL 25 CREW MEMBERS ABDUCTED FOUR MONTHS AGO FROM A SOUTH KOREAN FISHING BOAT BY SOMALI PIRATES WERE RELEASED SUNDAY IN SOMALIA, DPA REPORTED. THE EIGHT SOUTH KOREAN SAILORS AND THEIR 17 COLLEAGUES FROM INDONESIA, CHINA AND VIETNAM LEFT SOMALIA ON SUNDAY, THE SOUTH KOREAN NEWS AGENCY YONHAP REPORTED, CITING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN SEOUL. THE BOAT WAS BEING BROUGHT TO KENYA UNDER THE ESCORT OF A US WARSHIP. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, A RANSOM OF UP TO 800,000 DOLLARS WAS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN PAID FOR THE CREW'S RELEASE. ALL CREW MEMBERS WERE UNHARMED. ACCORDING TO SOUTH KOREAN REPORTS, ARMED MEN HAD SEIZED THE BOAT IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.
