Somali Pirates: Sailors release to be secured soon, says Ansar Burney

Ransom money transferred to ships owner, Red C. Navigation shipping company.

CAIRO: Four Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates are due to be secured soon. Ansar Burney, who has been negotiating their release said on Tuesday.

Social activist Ansar Burney, who has been working to gather the ransom amount and negotiating the details of the release, confirmed that the ransom money has been transferred to the account of Shipping Company, Red C. Navigation.

Somali pirates had taken over the ship owned by an Egyptian company, Red C. Navigation back in August 2010, taking its crew as hostage. Crew consisted of four Pakistanis, including the ship’s captain. The ship also had five Indians, one Sri Lankan and 11 Egyptian sailors.

Speaking to Express News, Burney said with the recent transfer of the remaining $600, 000, the total ransom amount of $2.1 million had been secured.

Burney criticised Indian Parliamentarian K. D. Singh for the delay in payment, who, did not fulfil his promise of paying the ransom. Of the ransom amount, the Egyptian shipping company was to contribute $1 million, while Pakistan and India were to raise $500,000 and $600,000respectively.

As deadline loomed, Indian promises turned out to be empty and it left Pakistanis Ansar Burney and the Sind Governor Ishratul Ebad to raise the remainder of the sum on their own.

He said documents confirming the transfer of ransom will be dispatched today to the pirates, after which he will travel to Yemen.