$4 Million Pirate Ransom Paid, Alakrana Crew Freed

November 17, 2009 10:57 a.m. EST

Mogadishu, Somalia (AHN) - Somali pirates who were holding 36 crew members of a Spanish fishing vessel freed them on Tuesday. A ransom of nearly $4 million dollars and the release of two pirate suspects in Madridsecured the hostages release.

After 46 days of being held against their will, the hostages and the Alakrana vessel are once again free and navigating towards safe waters.

Spanish officials say the crew, which includes 16 Spaniards as well as Africans and Asians are "safe and sound." Additionally according to a representative for the pirates part of the deal included the release of two suspected pirates that were captured and brought to Madrid to stand trial.

The pirates had threatened to start killing the hostages unless the suspects released from law enforcement's custody.

The Alakrana was seized on October 2 in the Indian Ocean and taken to near the Somali coast. The two aforementioned suspects left the vessel a day after it was captured but were themselves seized by a Spanish frigate patrolling the area.

Now legal experts are wrangling with the decision made to secure the hostages and how to handle the release of the suspects. Just this week they were indicted in an effort to speed up the legal process, however it remains unclear if they could be handed short enough prison sentences and then be expelled from the country or if the government will pardon them.