Seoul: Somali pirates freed a hijacked South Korean-operated supertanker and its 24 crew, Seoul officials said on Sunday, amid news reports that a record ransom was paid.
The Samho Dream is sailing toward a safe third country under the escort of a South Korean destroyer after being released on Saturday.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday all 24 crew, including five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos, are all safe.
Ministry officials gave no further details about how the ship was released following seven months of captivity.
However, South Korean media including Yonhap news agency reported that up to $9.5 million in ransom was paid to secure the ship's release.
