Somali pirates demand ransom, release of colleagues

Somali pirates holding a Spanish trawler on Wednesday said contact has been made with ship owners and that a demand of four million U.S. dollars in ransom to free the fishing boat was transmitted, a pirate commander said.

"We have had some communication and contact with the ship owners and we have told them that four million U.S. dollars have to be paid in exchange for the freedom of the ship and the crew," Yusuf Mire, a pirate commander from the gang holding the ship told Xinhua by phone from Harardheere town, northeastern Somalia.

The towns of Harardheere and Eyl are two pirate strongholds in northeast of the war-torn Horn of Africa country.

The commander said his group also demanded that of two of their colleagues captured by Spanish warships last week have to be freed before they free the Spanish fishing boat, Alakrana.

The two Somali pirates seized by Spanish navy are now in Spain for possible prosecution in Spanish courts.

"Our demands are minimal compared to what the foreign fishing boats are stealing from our seas. They are taking millions and millions of dollars worth of fish everyday," said Yusuf who expressed hope that the Spanish government and ship owners would, as he put it, "head to our demands as soon as possible".

He added that the crew of the fishing boat was "doing fine and are well taken care of". The commander would not elaborate on the number or the nationalities of the crew members.

But reports say the Alakrana's crew members of 36 are from Spain, Indonesia, Seychelles, Madagascar and Senegal.

The Spanish fishing trawler was abducted by Somali pirates last week as it plied the pirate infested Indian Ocean off Somali coast.

Several other ships are currently being held by Somali pirates who are demanding ransom for their release.

A number of foreign warships deployed off Somali coast have failed to stop the buccaneering in the important water way along one of the busy shipping lanes in the world.