The three remaining Greek sailors held hostage in Djibouti over unpaid debts owed by their ship’s owner have arrived safely in Athens following their release, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in a tweet on Sunday.
“The ordeal of the other three Greek seamen, who remained in Djibouti, has reached a happy conclusion,” the Foreign Minister wrote.
“Thanks to the flawless cooperation between the foreign ministry and the shipping ministry, a short while ago they arrived in Greece.”
Mr Dendias then went on to thank the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Djibouti for his response to a letter he sent 15 days ago.
“I thank my counterpart, as well as the governor of the country and the European authorities in Djibouti for their help,” he added.
The evacuated sailors were reportedly brought to the Ipsala border gate in northwestern Turkey, in a private vehicle belonging to the Greek Embassy in Ankara.
The three sailors had been trapped on two Greek-owned ships anchored off the coast of Djibouti since September 4, 2019.
Originally five, they faced a number of difficulties obtaining food and medicine. A chief mate and engineer that was admitted to hospital, were released by authorities in Djibouti last December.
