Seven Danes, including a family with three children, have been released after being held hostage in Somalia since February, when their yacht was hijacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea, the Danish Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
The parents, Jan Quist Johansen and Birgit Marie Johansen, and their children, ages 12 to 16 at the time of the hijacking, along with two Danish crew members, were in good health “considering the circumstances,” the ministry said.
The statement did not elaborate on the circumstances that led to their release or whether a ransom had been paid. Reuters news agency reported that it had spoken by phone to a pirate in Somalia who identified himself as Hussein and said that a group he belonged to had received a $3 million ransom Tuesday. That report could not be independently confirmed. Denmark has often favored negotiation over more aggressive means to pursue the release of hostages held by Somali pirates.
The Danes were flying home to Denmark, according to Danish media reports.
The ministry said the family and crew had been held by pirates since Feb. 24.
The New York Times
