Turkish sailors in Turkey after abducted off Nigeria

ISTANBUL

Ten Turkish sailors, who were released on Aug. 9 after being kidnapped by gunmen off Nigeria last month, safely arrived homeland on Aug. 11 morning.         

Hakan Çakar, a kidnapped sailor, said that armed pirates had hijacked the ship, and took crew to a forest.         

"We didn't know what was their purpose. They didn't say anything," he said, adding that they were held in "very difficult conditions" in a shed.         

Çakar also said that all his thoughts were with his family and Turkey after abducted.         

"Today is my second birthday," he exclaimed.         

Selçuk Esenyel- a lawyer sent by the shipowner company to negotiate with the pirates, said that the health condition of all 10 crew members was good.         

In mid-July, 10 Turkish sailors traveling aboard the Ivory Coast-bound Turkish ship Paksoy-1 were abducted off Nigeria.         

The ship was operated by the Kadıoğlu Maritime and had 18 crew on board at the time it was attacked by pirates suspected to be from Nigeria's volatile delta region, according to a local official.         

On the day of the incident, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said that initiatives had been taken for the release of the Turkish men.         

The Turkish sailors are identified as Hüseyin Zabun, Hakan Çakar, Serdar Çetinkaya, Ersin Yılmaz, Mücahid Sener, Hasan Hüseyin Karakurt, Ümit Tokgöz, Tezcan Selçuk, İbrahim Arsoy and Cumhur Akpınar.