Incident: YB Masindra 7 released

A Malaysian tugboat, TB Masindra 7, with its crew of 11 Indonesians, is released by pirates after being held for eight months and the payment of an unidentified ransom amount. The tug was pulling a barge in the Gulf of Aden when taken. (AFP, 08/02/09) The tug was hijacked on December 16. Masindra Shipping Sdn Bhd owns the vessel. "European Union Naval Force Atalanta spokesman, Commander John Harbour, told Reuters the tugboat was on its way to the Maldives. The freed tugboat is being escorted by German warship Brandenberg, on patrol for the EU as part of Operation Atlanta. " (Jakarta Post, 08/05/09)