Around the World: Somalia

Pirates free Spanish boat

Somali pirates have freed a Spanish fishing boat with its 26-member crew for a ransom of $1.2 million, a Somali official said on Saturday.

The tuna fishing boat Playa de Bakio, seized by pirates last Sunday 320 km off the lawless Horn of Africa nation, was heading for the Seychelles under naval escort, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said.

(China Daily 04/28/2008 page6)