Iceberg 1 crew freed after 3 years

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GARAAD, Somalia, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- The crew of the MV Iceberg 1, a Panama-flagged vessel that was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2010, was freed after spending 1,000 days in captivity.

The liberation of the 22 remaining crew members of the Iceberg 1 came after a two-week operation by the Puntland Maritime Police Force in Garaad in the Mudug region of Somalia, the International Maritime Bureau reported Monday.

Some of the freed crew members needed medical attention and showed signs of physical abuse and illness. Two members of the crew died since the vessel was hijacked in March 2010 off the coast of Yemen.

An IMB spokesman commented, "Whilst this is a successful rescue operation, our thoughts are with the remaining 139 hostages still held by pirates, 28 of whom have been there for just under two years."