MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) – Five of the Somali pirates who released a hijacked oil-laden Saudi supertanker drowned with their share of a reported $3 million ransom after their small boat capsized, a pirate and a relative of one of the dead men said Saturday. Pirate Daud Nure said the boat with eight people on board overturned in a storm after dozens of pirates left the Sirius Star following a two-month standoff in the Gulf of Aden that ended Friday. He said five people died and three people reached shore after swimming for several hours. Daud Nure was not part of the pirate operation but knew those involved. Abukar Haji, the uncle of one of the dead men, said the deaths were an accident.

The pirates originally wanted more than £16 million to release the boat and its £65 million load of oil. Eventually they accepted the offer of $3million (around £2million). “The boat the pirates were traveling in capsized because it was running at high speed because the pirates were afraid of an attack from the warships patrolling around,” he said. “There has been human and monetary loss but what makes us feel sad is that we don’t still have the dead bodies of our relatives. Four are still missing and one washed up on the shore.”

Har! or is it Arhhh! I’m wondering if they didn’t include a little “surprise” in that package.