French tanker, crew hijacked off Ivory Coast freed

Johannesburg, Feb 6 (AP) A French company that had one of its diesel tankers and a crew of 17 sailors hijacked off Ivory Coast say their vessel and workers are now free. SEA Tankers issued a statement today saying the M/T Gascogne was now free. The company said two of the 17 sailors had been injured in the hijacking, but were receiving medical attention. The company did not say how or where the ship was freed. The ship was hijacked by pirates Sunday off Abidjan. Government officials there had said the crew included seven sailors from Togo, four from Benin, two from Ivory Coast, two from Senegal and one apiece from China and South Korea. Pirate attacks in West Africa's Gulf of Guinea have increased in recent years.(AP) BOD 02061639 NNNN