These 26 members of a fishing vessel -- most of them from Southeast Asia -- were hijacked in March 2012.
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Of the 29 hostages seized, three men died
Hostages were from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam
CNN —
Somali pirates have released 26 hostages after nearly five years in captivity, according to an organization involved in mediation efforts.
The dozens of hostages freed were in a ship hijacked south of the Seychelles in March 2012.
Of the 29 crew members seized, one died during the hijacking and two died from illness while in captivity, according to the organization, Oceans Beyond Piracy.
The hostages were all men from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, it said. They were aboard the Omani-flagged fishing vessel Naham 3 when they were captured.
Hostages malnourished
John Steed of Oceans Beyond Piracy said the crew of Naham 3 was released Saturday. He did not provide specifics on the terms or conditions of their release, or whether any ransom was paid.
They will be repatriated using a UN flight and sent to their home countries, he said in a statement.
Piracy in Somali waters —
A World Bank study says pirates off Somalia could cost the global economy $18 billion as shippers are forced to change trading routes and pay higher insurance premiums.
Pictured, an armed pirate near Hobyo town, northeastern Somalia, in January 2010.
Piracy in Somali waters —
"Piracy is a symptom of the breakdown of Somalia's political system," said economist and lead author of the report Quy-Toan Do. Somalia plunged into chaos after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991, and clan warlords and militants battled for control.
Piracy in Somali waters —
War-ravaged Somalia moved a step closer to stability after picking its first President elected on home soil in decades.
Piracy in Somali waters —
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, an academic and activist who has also worked for the United Nations and other organizations, was sworn in at the capital, Mogadishu
In pictures: Piracy in Somali waters
Second longest- held hostages
“They are reported to be in reasonable condition considering their ordeal,” Steed said. “They are all malnourished. Four are currently receiving medical treatment.”
The Naham 3 crew members are the second longest- held hostages by Somali pirates, Steed said.
The longest-held hostages are four crew members of the FV Prantalay 12 vessel who were released two months shy of five years in captivity. Somali pirates seized them at sea in April 2010 and released them in February 2015.
Somali pirates and their peers have made millions in ransom money hijacking vessels in the region.
Although piracy off the coast of Somalia has plummeted in recent years, it was an international nightmare at its height, hurting economies and sending the cost of living soaring.
At the time, it cost the global economy $18 billion a year in increased trade expenses, according to a UN study released in 2013. It decreased maritime activity in affected waters and drastically reduced tourism in surrounding nations.
CNN’s William Lee contributed to this report
