Denmark frees suspected pirates in dinghy in Gulf of Guinea

  08 January 1999    Read: 256
Denmark frees suspected pirates in dinghy in Gulf of Guinea

Three suspected pirates who were detained for six weeks on a Danish warship off West Africa's coast have been released at sea in a small dinghy.

The three were captured in November after a fatal exchange of fire in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Danish Armed Forces said they had failed to find a country in the region that would take the alleged pirates.

So the decision was taken to release the men near Nigerian waters, with enough food and fuel to get to shore.

According to Danish authorities, a shootout took place on 24 November after suspected pirates attacked a container ship.

Four of the men were killed by the Danish military - which is in the area as part of an operation to protect shipping amid heightened security risks from pirates - while a fifth person fell overboard.

 


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