Somali pirates released the Norwegian-owned, 23-000-tonne MT Bow Asir tanker after receiving a ransom payment from owners, Reuters quoted pirate sources as saying today. A spokesman for operator Salhus Shipping AS confirmed by telephone that the vessel was released, but declined to give further details. "The pirates on board the Norwegian ship took the ransom and now they are all in Haradheere with me," one pirate told Reuters by telephone. Sources put the payment at around $2.4 million. Held since the end of March, the ship had a 27-member crew including a Norwegian captain, 19 Filipinos, five Poles, one Russian and one Lithuanian.
