Crews ‘overpower Somali pirates’

About 40 Egyptian fishermen have escaped from their Somali pirate captors near the northern town of Las Qorey, reports from the region say. A wounded pirate, found on a beach with machete wounds, said the crew attacked him and his colleagues with tools and then seized their weapons. He said that at least two pirates died before the crew sailed towards waters patrolled by international navies.

The two fishing vessels were captured four months ago. They were taken along with an Italian tug boat, which was recently freed after a ransom was paid.