26 sailors kept hostage by Somali pirates released after nearly five years

After nearly five years 26 sailors taken hostage by Somali pirates south of Seychelles have been released. 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. Harardheere became known as Somalias main pirate base at the height of the crisis. 29 crew members were about the ship but the captain died during the hijacking and two later died of illness in captivity.