Somali pirates demand $2 mn for release of Germans

From correspondents in Africa, 07:31 PM IST Somali pirates are demanding $2 million for the release of a German couple kidnapped off the country's coast, an intermediary in the negotiations said Tuesday. Pirates abducted the couple June 23 as they sailed through the Gulf of Aden on a trip from Egypt to Thailand. The kidnappers then abandoned the yacht on the shore and disappeared into a nearby mountainous area with their hostages. While the couple are in good health and being treated well, the man suffers from diabetes and has not had access to insulin for several days, the intermediary said. Talks over the release of German cargo ship the MV Lehmann Timber are also in deadlock and concerns are growing for the welfare of the crew, four of whom are said to be ill and in urgent need of medical treatment. Piracy is rife off the... [read full story]