NATO Rescues 20 Yemeni Hostages; Releases Pirates Despite Attack On Tanker

April 18, 2009 9:24 a.m. EST

Nairobi, Kenya (AHN) - Dutch commandos on a NATO warship on Saturday rescued and later freed 20 Yemeni hostages who were captured by seven pirates in the Gulf of Aden, according to reports.

The commandos had received a distress call from a vessel, the MT Handytankers Magic, after pirates attacked it, NATO spokesman Lt. Capt. Alexandre Santos Fernandes told Sky News.

The pirates fled the area after they noticed the Dutch warship and headed towards a Yemeni fishing trawler with 20 Yemeni nationals on board.

The Yemenis had been held hostage since last Saturday, BBC quoted Fernandes as saying.

The seven Somali pirates who held the Yemenis captive were released despite allegations that they attacked the tanker using assault rifles and grenades. Fernades is quoted by Sky News as saying that Dutch law does not allow the pirates to be detained at sea in those circumstances.

Pirates earn millions of dollars from the ransom they receive, but the rate of hijackings in the area has come down to one in seven instances after dozens of countries collaborated to counter piracy.

The countries that have joined international anti-piracy efforts in the region include Japan, South Korea, members of the NATO, the European Union, China and the United States.

The incident in the Gulf of Aden followed the rescue of American captain Richard Phillips, who was held captive for four days by Somali pirates off Somalia's eastern waters. He was freed by U.S. Navy Seal snipers, who killed three of his four captors.