MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Three Russian sailors captured by pirates in the territorial waters of Benin have been released and are returning home, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Tuesday.
"According to the information of the Russian embassy in Nigeria, three Russian citizens, the crewmembers of the container ship Tommi Ritscher — chief mate A. Sigunov, chief mechanic S. Zaitsev and electrical mechanic V. Suprun captured by pirates on April 19 in the territorial waters of Benin were released on May 23," the diplomat said.
In the evening of the same day, they departed on a charter flight with the assistance of the Russian diplomatic mission in Abuja from Lagos to Frankfurt with the aim of subsequently returning to Russia, Zakharova said.
The sailors’ health condition is estimated as satisfactory, the Russian diplomat said.
"Moscow expresses its gratitude to all those who assisted the release of the Russian citizens from their captivity," Zakharova stressed.
On April 19, a group of pirates penetrated the container ship Tommi Ritscher, which was in its anchorage in the territorial waters of Benin. The Benin Navy boats that came to the ship’s rescue drove away the speedboats where the pirates’ accomplices were. As a result, they were cut off from the coast.
Several hours later, the Nigerian Navy jointly with special forces managed to release the container ship’s 11 crewmembers. However, a part of the hostages — a group of eight people, including three Russians — continued to be held by the pirates. After negotiations with the Beninese authorities, the pirates left the container ship together with the hostages and exited Benin’s territorial waters.