Six Ukrainian sailors captured by Nigerian pirates in the Gulf of Guinea on December 16, last year have been released.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, who made the disclosure in a post on Instagram on Saturday, said the Ukranian nationals had been held captive for a month and a half after they were abducted with two nationals of other foreign countries.
The abductees were said to be all part of the crew of the cargo ship STEVIA in which they were attacked and abducted.
Its was reported in December 2020 that pirates kidnapped eight crew members of the Cameroon-flagged STEVIA, 28 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed that six of its nationals were among the abducted crew members.
“Our citizens are safe, and we are waiting for their return home as soon as possible. Thanks to Ukrainian diplomats and all those who were involved in the release of our compatriots,” he said.
The daughter of one of the captured sailors said her father was the chief mate of the vessel and was “definitely among the hostages”.
She said the six abducted Ukrainians out of eight hostages were the captain, chief mate, second mate, chief engineer, electro-technical officer, and wiper.
