The body of a Somali pirate who drowned after receiving a reported £2m ($3m) ransom for a hijacked ship has washed ashore - along with his share of the cash.
Five of the pirates who had been holding the Sirius Star drowned when their small boat capsized as they headed for shore after releasing the Saudi-owned supertanker.
A resident in the coastal town of Harardhere said one body had been found on a beach and relatives were searching for the other four.
"One of them was discovered and they are still looking for the other ones," said Omar Abdi Hassan. "He had $153,000 in a plastic bag in his pocket."
The US navy has released photos of a parachute dropping a package - believed to be the ransom - on to the deck of the Sirius Star.
Graeme Gibbon Brooks, managing director of the British company Dryad Maritime Intelligence Service Ltd, said the incident was unlikely to deter further attacks.
"The loss or potential loss of the ransom means the pirates will be all the more keen to get the next ransom in," he said. "There are people lining up to be pirates."
The Sirius Star had been held near the Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was loaded with 33 Soviet-designed tanks and crates of small arms.
The same day the Sirius Star was released, family members of the Faina crew appealed for help, saying they were not being kept informed about negotiations or the state of their loved ones' health.
But a pirate spokesman has insisted the 20 crew members on the MV Faina are doing well.
"The cargo is still there unharmed and the crew is healthy," said Sugule Ali. "Once the negotiations end in mutual understanding, the ship, its crew and the cargo as well will be released."
There have been several false alarms about the release of the MV Faina since it was seized last September. Mr Ali said the pirates were still negotiating with the ship's owners.
"Nothing has changed from our previous demand of £13.3m ($20m) ransom for the release of the ship but as negotiations continue we are likely to reduce the amount," he said.
American warships have been closely monitoring the Faina amid fears some of the weapons onboard could be taken ashore and fall into the hands of Islamic insurgents.
Five of the pirates who had been holding the Sirius Star drowned when their small boat capsized as they headed for shore after releasing the Saudi-owned supertanker.
A resident in the coastal town of Harardhere said one body had been found on a beach and relatives were searching for the other four.
"One of them was discovered and they are still looking for the other ones," said Omar Abdi Hassan. "He had $153,000 in a plastic bag in his pocket."
The US navy has released photos of a parachute dropping a package - believed to be the ransom - on to the deck of the Sirius Star.
Graeme Gibbon Brooks, managing director of the British company Dryad Maritime Intelligence Service Ltd, said the incident was unlikely to deter further attacks.
"The loss or potential loss of the ransom means the pirates will be all the more keen to get the next ransom in," he said. "There are people lining up to be pirates."
The Sirius Star had been held near the Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was loaded with 33 Soviet-designed tanks and crates of small arms.
The same day the Sirius Star was released, family members of the Faina crew appealed for help, saying they were not being kept informed about negotiations or the state of their loved ones' health.
But a pirate spokesman has insisted the 20 crew members on the MV Faina are doing well.
"The cargo is still there unharmed and the crew is healthy," said Sugule Ali. "Once the negotiations end in mutual understanding, the ship, its crew and the cargo as well will be released."
There have been several false alarms about the release of the MV Faina since it was seized last September. Mr Ali said the pirates were still negotiating with the ship's owners.
"Nothing has changed from our previous demand of £13.3m ($20m) ransom for the release of the ship but as negotiations continue we are likely to reduce the amount," he said.
American warships have been closely monitoring the Faina amid fears some of the weapons onboard could be taken ashore and fall into the hands of Islamic insurgents.
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