The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has denied media reports claiming an alleged agreement between the Ariana ship owner and Somali pirates on the release of the vessel.
“The operating company refutes media claims of an alleged agreement
on the release of the hostages,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Vasyl
Kyrylych said at a briefing on Monday.
He said the negotiations were tricky, and law enforcers continued to do their best for the quickest release of the hostages.
The operating company said that the crew had a sufficient amount of fuel, food, drinking water and medicines.
Details of the negotiations are unknown, Kyrylych said.
Somali pirates seized the Ariana ship of the Greek-based Alloceans
Shipping Company Ltd under the Maltese flag in the Gulf of Aden on May
2. All the 24 crewmembers are Ukrainian citizens.
