CREW OF PIRATE-HELD MISC VESSELS BACK IN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- The 79 crew of the two MISC Berhad vessels released by Somali pirates, who had hijacked the ships last month, returned to Malaysia early Saturday.

The crew of MT Bunga Melati 2 and MT Bunga Melati 5 flew in to the Subang
airport by a special aircraft at about 4 am.

MISC Berhad Corporate Affairs Department general manager Fiona Clare
Pereira said the crew were being accommodated at the Sheraton Subang Hotel along
with their family members.

She said a news conference would be held at 4.30 pm today at the MISC
Berhad headquarters at Menara Dayabumi.

MT Bunga Melati 2, with 29 Malaysian and 10 Filipino crew, was hijacked in
the Gulf of Aden on Aug 19. A Filipino crew was killed by a stray
bullet.


Ten days later, MT Bunga Melati 5, with 36 Malaysian and five Filipino
crew, was hijacked in the same waters.

MT Bunga Melati 5 and MT Bunga Melati 2 and their crew were released on
Sept 27 and Sept 29, respectively.

It was reported that a ransom was paid for their release.

-- BERNAMA