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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Ukrainian Voyager to be Freed from Somali Captivity

26 January, 1999 - 00:00

By Viktor VORONIUK, The Day
The crew of the Ukrainian sailing yacht Voyager headed by Captain Borys
Radiush, 50, was held incommunicado for over a month in the Somali port
of Bosaso but is soon to return to the Motherland, Serhiy Borodenkov, adviser
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press center, told The Day.

In his words, the conflict can be defused after Bosaso is visited by
leaders of the local Puntland schooner confederation. It was also officially
informed that African authorities would return the confiscated money and
documents to the Ukrainian yachtsmen. There is also an official assurance
of the port supervisor that the Voyager will be returned.

"As before, our four yachtsmen are kept in a local hotel," the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs press center adviser told The Day, "We will keep
the situation in Somalia under control until it is resolved completely."

It will be recalled that the Ukrainian yachtsmen were taken into custody
on December 24 by fishermen from a local tribe when weather conditions
forced them to cast anchor off the Somali coast to repair the engine. They
were freed on January 3, but without documents, money, or the yacht.

The formal pretext for violating the Ukrainian citizens' rights was
the allegation that the Voyager had been fishing illegally.

 

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