TEHRAN – Iran confirmed on Tuesday the freeing of eight Iranian sailors, in captivity since May 2016 by Somalian pirates amid continuing effort to release the remaining captives.

The crew were freed as a result of negotiations held between Senegal’s embassy in Somalia and the pirates, parliamentarian Ali Yar Mohammadi said on Monday. 

Reportedly, the sailors are now in the Senegalese embassy in Mogadishu.

The development comes six months after the crew members of an Iranian fishing vessel, which fell prey to pirates in May 2016, managed to escape from the chains of the kidnappers.

Reports suggest that 12 other sailors, from another Iranian boat, are still in captivity with the pirates demanding huge ransom for their release.

Over the past years, the Iranian navy has kept regular patrols particularly in the Gulf of Aden, reducing piracy greatly. 
AK/PA