Pirated ship's crew appears healthy

HOBYO, Somalia, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- The crew of a Ukrainian ship hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean appears healthy three weeks into a stand-off, U.S. military officials say.

U.S. Navy spokesman Lt. Nathan Christensen said the crew of the MV Faina looked well after the pirates who seized the ship allowed the mostly Ukrainian crew members to line up on the deck so U.S. sailors on nearby vessels could see and photograph them, the German non-governmental organization Ecoterra said in a release.

The group said negotiations between the hijackers and the ship's Panamanian-registered owners have been stepped up with both sides striving to find a way to safely release the crew and vessel upon payment of millions of dollars in ransom.

Ecoterra said 1 ton of fuel could be provided to the hijackers, but noted that food and freshwater supplies for the crew have not yet been allowed on board.