We ate rats to survive, sailors held in central Somalia for five years say

Sailors released by Somali pirates after five years in captivity in Harardhere central Somalia lived under squalid conditions and had to feed on rats to keep alive, one of the sailors has said.

In an interview with the British broadcaster BBC, one of the pirates said they were harshly treated by the pirates and had to make do with extreme conditions of living. Two of the pirates died during captivity.

“We ate anything even that which your mouth does not like. We ate birds, rats, we cooked it. They (pirates) treated us like animals; they gave us a little amount of water only. If you want to wash, you get a small towel, put in small (sic) water,” the former hostage said.

A coordinator of the US based Hostage Support Partners for the Oceans Beyond Piracy said 26 sailors were in reasonable condition and would be repatriated to their home countries.

“They are reported to be in reasonable condition, considering their ordeal. … They have spent over four and a half years in deplorable conditions away from their families,” Steed said.

Associated Press quoted a Chinese Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying who said the sailors were rescued Saturday “through various efforts.” The Chinese government was grateful to “all the organizations and people who participated in the rescue,” she said.

It is not clear if any ransom was paid but one of sailors told Reuters the pirates were paid $1.5 million.