Rome (ANTARA News/AFP) - An Italian merchant ship hijacked by Somali pirates in April in the Arabian Sea near Oman with six Italians and 15 Filipinos on board has been freed, Italian news media reported on Friday.

The 225-metre (738-foot) Rosalia D`Amato -- owned by Naples-based shipper Perseveranza -- had been sailing from Brazil to Iran with a cargo of soybeans and came under fire from its attackers when it was taken on April 21.

A representative of Perseveranza told AFP she could not confirm or deny the reports.

La Repubblica daily reported that the ship was currently on its way to "a safe area" and said that a ransom had been paid. Pirates had initially demanded ransom of $22 million (16.6 million euros) for the ship. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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