A Japanese-operated chemical tanker seized in August was released late on Wednesday and is set to arrive in Fujairah, a port city in the United Arab Emirates, on Thursday.

Claro Cirstobal, a Filipino foreign affairs department spokesman, said the crew members aboard the vessel were "safe and sound despite the ordeal they have undergone".

Unconfirmed reports indicate a ransom of $1.6m might have been paid for the release of the men.

The vessel was hijacked on August 21 in the Gulf of Aden where five other foreign vessels have been seized since July. More than 50 Filipino sailors remain in the hands of Somali pirates.

The Philippines, one of the largest suppliers of crew members in the international shipping industry, has been hit hard by an escalation in the number of attacks by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.


Agencies