Kidnapped Ukrainians freed from Nigerian pirates, says Foreign Ministry

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reports the release from captivity of three Ukrainian citizens captured by pirates off the coast of Nigeria.

The ministry’s press service says pirates had captured three Ukrainians who have been freed by now. It says nothing about the other sailors that were onboard the Armada Tuah ship taken over by the Nigerian pirates. Earlier, Nigeria's This Day newspaper reported that last Sunday a Russian citizen, three Ukrainians and two citizens of India were captured by pirates off the coast of Nigeria. The pirates attacked the Armada Tuah tug vessel 70 kilometres off the coast of the southern Nigerian state of Bayelsa. The ship, owned by Armada Company, was flying the flag of Malaysia. The attack was beaten off, but the pirates managed to escape, kidnapping the sailors. Their whereabouts are unknown. The International Maritime Bureau earlier confirmed reports of the attack on the ship. The Nigerian Navy has so far made no comment on the issue.