MOSCOW - A shipping expert says a ransom agreement has been reached for a hijacked Ukrainian freighter laden with battle tanks and the ship could be released within days.
Mikhail Voitenko, who says he is spokesman for the owner of the NV Faina, Vadim Alperin, says negotiations were held Friday on how to get the ransom money to pirates who seized the ship off Somalia's coast in late September.
Voitenko is the editor of a Russian shipping news website.
He says the ship, crew and cargo could be released this week if agreement is reached on how to make the payment.
He would not give the amount of the agreed ransom, but suggested it is far lower than the pirates' initial $20 million demand.
Pirate attacks off Somalia have surged more than 75 per cent this year, and the seizure of the Faina raised particular concern because of its cargo of 33 battle tanks and other weapons and ammunition.
