2 Americans Kidnapped by Pirates Are Freed

They were taken from ship off the coast of Nigeria
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 12, 2013 2:44 PM CST
2 Americans Kidnapped by Pirates Are Freed
File photo: A crew of US sailors and Nigerian special forces fighters prepares to board a ship for a training exercise off the Nigerian coast. Pirate attacks are on the rise in the country.   (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

Two American sailors kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Nigeria last month have been freed, reports CNN. Their names have not been made public, but the State Department confirms the pair's release. The men were taken off their US-flagged ship about three weeks ago and identified only as the captain and chief engineer. US policy against paying ransom for its citizens doesn't apply to private companies, notes ABC News, and that seems to have been what happened here. The ship is owned by Louisiana-based Edison Chouest Offshore, reports NBC News, which notes that Nigeria has emerged as the "top kidnap spot in the world." (More Nigeria stories.)

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