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Tuesday, 29 December 2009 09:24 |
Bulk carrier Ariana started a movement to the port of destination, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported. "December 27, at about 13:00 on Kiev time bulk carrier Ariana, after refueling and the completion of the scheduled works, went to the north in the direction of pre-defined port," - as it was reported in the message.
"Ukrainian Foreign Ministry keeps on monitoring the issue of the timetable of the vessel and its support by the international forces to the port of destination", - noted the press service.
Let's recall that earlier the Foreign Minister Peter Poroshenko denied a report that appeared in some media about an alleged debt of the ship-owner of the bulk carrier to Ariana crew. As reported in the press service of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, all the necessary payments have been made yet on December 21 and this was confirmed by the crew members and their families.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Ukrainian Embassy in Greece carried out the necessary measures to ensure the social rights of Ukrainian seafarers. P. Poroshenko also denied the reports by some media that the sailors carried the financial burden and that the condition for completion of the contract is the payments for staying and for their work.
In turn, the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko also stated that the owner of the ship carried out full settlement with the pirates and crew members. According to him, the situation with the vessel Ariana and with Ukrainian crew, freed from pirate captivity, is resolved.
"Within 6-9 days, our guys will be abord the plane on their way home", - assured Yushchenko. According to him, the vessel will be accompanied by vehicle of NATO. Yushchenko also noted that the crew had twice refused to return to Ukraine in a more rapid manner, and will execute a contract with the employer.
On 24 December the Chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Service Nikolai Malomuzh predicted that the sailors from the ship Ariana return to Ukraine after the New Year. "I do not want to say that before New Year, but immediately after the New Year, most likely, the ship arrives in port, and the team will return to Ukraine", - said N. Malomuzh.
According to him, the difficulties with the return of the sailors back home are due to the fact that the vessel had no fuel, and it was sent for refueling. Chairman of the RAF pointed out that the ship will be refueled, and the bottom of the vessel is cleared, as it became covered with algae, then Ariana will arrive in the nearest port, where sailors will be delivered to Ukraine.
On December, 10 of this year N. Malomuzh reported that the release of the vessel Ariana from the captivity of Somali pirates had been paid 2.8 million dollars. The agreed amount was delivered to the ship by air.
Ukrainian citizens have been held in captivity by pirates for more than six months. Numerous attempts to negotiate with them failed.
On one hand, it has benn long decided, who is still going to pay the ransom - the state or the owner of the bulk carrier Ariana. On the other hand, the amount of the ransom was also the most uncertain and negotiable question. According to various sources, the pirates demanded for the release of bulk carrier and the team from 3,5 to 5 million dollars.
Bulk carrier Ariana, which was flying the flag of Malta and was carrying 35 thousand tons of soybeans from Brazil to Iran, was seized by pirates on the night of May 2, 2009.
Ariana belongs to the company registered in Malta "Tandela shiping". The vessel is managed by a Greek company Alloceans Shipping Co. Ltd. A crew of 24 Ukrainians - residents of Odessa and Nikolaev regions - was held in captivity by pirates.
Note that it is found out about the redemption of another ship from Somali pirates, this time Chinese vessel. For the release of their cargo ship with 25 sailors on board the Chinese authorities have paid $ 4 million.
Container with the money was dropped today from the helicopter on the deck of the captured ship. Ship De Xin Hai, transporting about 76 tons of coal, the pirates seized on October 19 this year beside the coast of the Horn of Africa Somali Peninsula.
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