Eight crew members have been released more than three weeks after they were taken captive when pirates attacked their tanker in the Gulf of Guinea, Greek coastguard said on Wednesday.

The seamen were set free earlier this morning following “successful negotiations” and will be repatriated after medical checks, according to the announcement.

“Coordinated efforts bore fruit,” Greek Shipping Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis said in the statement, without providing further details.