Thousands rally in Bermeo to claim 'Alakrana' crew members release

Thousands of anonymous people from several parts of the Basque Country gathered on Saturday in the Basque town of Bermeo together with the relatives of the 'Alakrana' 36 crew members to demand their release.

The rally kicked off at 12:00 AM Saturday under the slogan 'Gure arrantzaleak askatu. Liberad a nuestros arrantzales' (Free our sailors) in support to the 36 'Alakrana' tuna fishing boat crew members that were hijacked five weeks ago by Somali pirates.

This is the second time a rally like this takes place. The first one took place on october 23rd. The rally was convened by local representatives from the five Bizkaian towns Bermeo, Mundaka, Ondarroa, Santurtzi and Sestao, where members of the Alakrana crew have their residence.

The complications of 'Alakrana' hijack is also present on a Facebook group, Alakrana's kidnapped fishermen support group, with more than 18,000 users.

Somali pirates overran the tuna boat Alakrana in the Indian Ocean on Oct. 2 and took hostage its multinational crew of 36. However, the Spanish navy captured two Somalis in the Indian Ocean shortly after. The two suspects are set to face trial in Spain on kidnapping and other charges.

The wives of two crew members who spoke to their husbands Thursday said the pirates are demanding the release of the two in custody in Madrid as a condition for letting the ship and its crew go.

On Thursday night, the skipper of the Alakrana, Ricardo Blach, told Spanish television the heavily armed pirates on board had threatened to kill the three crew members taken ashore if there was no progress in freeing the two men.

On Friday, relatives of the crew issued an urgent appeal for the Spanish government to free the detained pirates.

The company that owns the Alakrana, Echebastar Fleet, urged the government to "facilitate the departure of the two Somalis detained in Spain, taking urgent measures".