EU Navfor confirmed on Thursday the pirates had left the tanker and that the vessel was on her way to a safe port in Northern Somalia.
The crew of eight were reported to be safe and EU Navfor said the master of the vessel confirmed there had been no injuries during the four day ordeal.
The release of the tanker came after an exchange of fire between the pirates and the Puntland Maritime Police.
“It is understood that members of the Puntland Maritime Police Force assisted with the ship’s release and are currently on board,” EU Navfor said.
According to a report by Reuters one of the pirates said no ransom was paid for the release of the vessel.
The Aris 13 was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden of 13 March. The first successful hijacking since May 2012 by Somali pirates has raised fears about a new surge in piracy in the region.
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