The mayor of Galkayo in northern Somalia had earlier said the crew was set to arrive in Kenya on Saturday afternoon. Their period of captivity is one of the longest among hostages seized by pirates in the anarchic Horn of Africa nation. The sailors were held in Dabagala near the town of Harardheere some 400 km (250 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu. The Oceans Beyond Piracy group said the crew were brought ashore by pirates when their ship sank more than a year after its hijacking. Piracy off Somalia's coast has subsided in the past three years, mainly due to shipping firms hiring private security details and the presence of international warships.

Source: Standard Digital October 22, 2016 16:18 UTC