The China Post
Date: October 24, 2016
By: The China Post news staff
TAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwanese sailor has been released after being held captive by Somali pirates for
This photo taken Aug. 14 shows Taiwanese sailor Shen Jui-chang, circled, with other men held captive after being kidnapped by Somali pirates. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 26 captives were released on Sunday, Oct. 23, over four years after they were kidnapped. (Oceans Beyond Piracy)
over four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) confirmed on Sunday.
According to local media, MOFA said it had ordered Taiwan’s representative office in South Africa to dispatch an official to Kenya as soon as possible to help Shen Jui-chang (沈瑞章) return home to his family.
The ministry said it had immediately attempted to rescue Shen when it was informed of his 2012 abduction, reaching out to various international anti-piracy groups, including Oceans Beyond Piracy, as well as the Omani government and other countries.
Responding to whether the pirates received ransom money in return for the crew’s release, MOFA said the owner of the hijacked ship had paid some money toward a ransom. More is believed to have come from private charitable donations, the ministry said.
Shen, the chief engineer of the Omani-flagged fishing vessel Naham 3, was one of 26 Asian hostages seized after the ship was hijacked. [FULL STORY]
