Freed Hostages Blast Pirates

Crew members freed from a ship seized by Somali pirates say they were harshly treated by their captors and lived in fear of being killed, CNN reports. The men, greeted by relieved friends and family when they arrived home in India, say they were constantly held at gunpoint in a small area of the bridge during the 2 months they waited for the $2.5 million ransom to be paid.

"These pirates are beasts," said one sailor. "It was mentally tortuous to have these men with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles constantly watching you," added another. The increasingly audacious—and wealthy—pirates have stepped up their activity in recent weeks. Officials announced today that yet another ship, a Yemeni freighter, has been seized.
(More pirates stories.)