Pirates release Chinese coal ship
Somali pirates released a Chinese bulk carrier early Monday.
China’s Xinhua news service said the ship De Xin Hai was let go at 3 a.m. and placed under protection of a Chinese naval escort.
Agence France Presse reported the pirates as saying they were paid $3.5 million in ransom.
The ship, which belongs to Qingdao Ocean Shipping Co. Ltd., was carrying about 76,000 tons of coal from South Africa to India when it was hijacked in the Indian Ocean on Oct. 19.
Pirates release Chinese coal ship
