Chinese fishermen released

• Source: Global Times
• [02:20 March 19 2010]
• Comments

The released Chinese fishermen call their families Wednesday after they arrived in Cameroon's port city of Limbe. Photo: Xinhua

Seven Chinese fishermen freed after being abducted off Cameroon's Bakassi peninsula were Thursday on their way to the capital, Yaounde.

The men who had been working on Chinese owned fishing boats, were able to call their families by phone, were in good health and had not been mistreated, Political Counsellor Peng Jintao of the Chinese embassy in Cameroon told the Global Times.

The seven, who were released on Wednesday after being held for six days, were expected to arrive in Yaounde later Thursday.

The men arrived in the city of Limbe on Wednesday evening by boat and were then taken to the economic capital Douala where they spent the night.

Chinese ambassador Xue Jinwei told China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday the release had been secured after days of negotiations.

No mention was made of whether a ransom had been paid.

Cameroonian sources have said the kidnappers were from a group called the Africa Marine Commando, who had demanded a ransom of $15,000 dollars to $25,000.

But Counsellor Peng denied such rumors.

The Bakassi peninsula, which has an area of 1,000 square kilometers and is potentially rich in oil and gas, has been a hotbed for banditry in the Gulf of Guinea.

It was handed over from Nigeria to Cameroon in August 2008 under a ruling by the International Court of Justice in the Hague.