Somali pirates free Sirius Star
SOMALI pirates have freed Saudi-owned supertanker Sirius Star, hijacked in the Indian ocean in November, unconfirmed reports claimed today.
North hostage Peter French was ushered in the New Year on board the hijacked ship, nearly two months after pirates seized the oil tanker.
The chief engineer, 45, from County Durham, is one of 25 crew members being held hostage on the Saudi-owned tanker which was hijacked off the coast of Somalia.
Mr French, who is married to Hazel and has an 18-year-old daughter, Amy, lived until recently in the Leamside area of Durham.
“All our people have now left the Sirius Star. The ship is free, the crew is free,” the group's leader Mohamed Said reportedly said.
