Somali Pirates: Recently captured ship released

Somali pirates reportedly have released the MV Victoria, the "sugar ship" as set out here:

Somali pirates on Friday released a UAE-owned ship they captured a week ago, a regional maritime official said.

The owners of the MV Victoria told the East Africa Seafarers Assistance Program that the ship was released Friday and is now traveling with a handful of Somali soldiers on board to ensure its safe passage, said Andrew Mwangura, who is the coordinator of the program.

Marwan Shipping and Trading Company, based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, owns the MV Victoria, but the vessel flies a Jordanian flag, Mwangura told The Associated Press.

He said he did not know under what terms the pirates released the ship.

The MV Victoria will travel to the Somali capital, Mogadishu — its destination before it was hijacked on May 17 — to offload its cargo, Mwangura said.