The Ukrainian ship captured last year that was carrying tanks, RPGs and other small arms has been abandoned by the pirates after they received a $3.2 million ransom. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reports:

Pirates had initially demanded a ransom of $20m, but reports suggest that a figure of $3.2m (£2.2m) was agreed.

The US navy said that a ransom appeared to have been dispatched on Wednesday and Mikhail Voitenko, said to be a spokesman for ship owner Vadim Alperin, later said that the pirates were “counting the haul”.

Early on Thursday groups of pirates began leaving the vessel, reports from Haradhere said. Representatives of the pirates then told journalists that the ship had been freed.

I wonder how much of its cargo has already made it into the hands of rebels and insurgents across the continent. The real tragedy is that the criminals now know that despite a naval presence in the area representing just about all the worlds navel powers, ransoms will be paid. Great precedent.