TOKYO — Pirates released a Japanese tanker and its 22 crew members off the Somali coast Wednesday and all the crew are unharmed, a U.S. Navy spokesman said.
The Golden Nori, carrying crew from Myanmar, the Philippines and South Korea, was seized in late October off the east coast of Somalia. One crew member escaped and was rescued by a passing vessel in early November.
Andrew Mwangura, head of the Kenya-based East Africa Seafarers’ Assistance Program, said Monday that the hostage-takers had demanded $1 million ransom and threatened to kill all 22 crew.
Japanese official Yoichi Oda said his government had not received any ransom demands from the hostage-takers.
The chemical tanker was carrying up to 40,000 tons of highly explosive benzene.
