Abducted Algerian sailors return home

A total of 17 Algerian crew members of the Algerian-flagged bulk carrier MV Blida abducted by Somali pirates early this year reached the capital of Algiers Sunday. The sailors were repatriated home on board of a special flight from Kenya and were warmly welcomed by their families in the military airport of Boufarik, 40 km south of Algiers. MV Blida, with 27 crew members, was kidnapped in the high seas by Somali pirates in January when it was heading for the port of Mombasa in Kenya. Two of the crew members, an Algerian and a Ukrainian, were released in October, while the others were released on Nov. 3. Nacereddine Mansouri, executive officer of the shipowner International Bulk Carrier, was quoted by the Algerian official news agency APS as saying that no ransom was paid for the release of hostages.