South African Couple Released by Somali Pirates
Original sources: The Republic & IOL.co.za
Somalia's defense minister says that two South Africans who were taken by Somali pirates in late 2010 have been freed.
Defense Minister Hussein Arab Isse told a news conference in Mogadishu Thursday that Deborah Calitz and Bruno Pelizzari have been released. The two were at the presidential palace in Somalia's capital.
The two were captured in late 2010 from a yacht off the coast of Tanzania. The pirates originally demanded a ransom of $10 million.
The South Africans' 20-month captivity is among the longest periods hostages have been held by pirates in Somalia.
"We are very happy to get our freedom again," Calitz said, speaking haltingly. "We are so happy today and to join our families again."
Today we are happy to get our freedom back,” Pelizzari said at the presidential palace complex in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Pelizzari and his companion Debbie Calitz later left the Horn of Africa nation for Djibouti, two sources in the Somali prime minister's office said.
The South African government thanked the Somali government and Italy for their roles in securing the release of the couple. It did not give any details about the roles played.
Armed pirates hijacked the yacht Choizil in October 2010 as it was about to enter the Mozambique channel south of the Tanzanian port city of Dar es Salaam.
The sea bandits rerouted the boat north to Somalia where a French warship began tracking it because it was sailing suspiciously close to the coastline.
After attempts to contact the yacht failed, the warship launched a boarding team which came under fire from the yacht.
The Choizil ran aground, pirates took Pelizzari and Calitz ashore, but the captain, Peter Eldridge, refused to leave and was rescued by EU naval forces off the coast of Somalia on November 6.
OCEANUSLive understands that, so far, no ransom payment detail has been made known.
A relative of the couple, Pelizzari’s sister, Vera Hecht, has been championing their release throughout their time in captivity by attempting to accelerate the fundraising appeal for the ransom.
A website www.sosbrunodebbie.co.za had been set up to campaign and accept donations for their release.
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