MOGADISHU, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Somali pirates on Saturday released 26 people who had been held hostage for nearly five years, an organization involved in mediation efforts said.
An Omani-flagged fishing vessel FV Naham 3 was hijacked south of the Seychelles in March 2012, according to John Steed, a regional coordinator of the organization, Oceans Beyond Piracy.
"Of the original 29-member crew, sadly one died during the hijacking and two more succumbed to illness during their captivity. The remaining 26 crew members spent much of their captivity on land in Somalia," Steed said in a statement.
The hostages are all men and are from China, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
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