The master, an engineer and a welder were seized last weekwhen the 250–gt San Miguel (built 1976) was boarded by gunmen west of Bata.

The Equatorial Guinea government said thedomestically-flagged vessel, operated by Martinez Brothers, was released withsix other crew after it was ransacked and taken to Cameroonian waters.

Phones were confiscatedand the navigation system destroyed.

A ransom has been demanded for the release of the threeremaining captives.

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