UPDATE - Nigeria: All 15 rescued sailors arrive at embassy

UPDATES WITH ARRIVAL OF REMAINING NINE TURKISH SAILORS AT ABUJA EMBASSY; CHANGES TITLE, DECK, LEDE

By Adam Abu-bashal

ABUJA, Nigeria (AA) - All 15 rescued Turkish sailors were brought Saturday to the Turkish Embassy in Nigeria under strict security.

Turkish Ambassador Melih Ulueren and other officials welcomed the sailors who were kidnapped after their ship was taken over pirates. They were rescued on Friday.

Upon their arrival at the embassy in the capital Abuja, the sailors talked to their families over the phone.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Ulueren said: “We are very happy to see our citizens among us in good health.”

Mesut Meral, one of the rescued sailors, said: “Everything is fine. I can tell the families in Turkey that they shall not be sad, we will return to our country soon.”

Captain Mustafa Kaya said his crew was finally free after 21 days and they were looking forward to reuniting with their families.

In a pirate attack on Jan. 23, 15 of the Liberian-flagged ship Mozart's 19 crew members were abducted. One of them, an Azerbaijani national, was killed.

Following the attack, the ship anchored at the nearby Port-Gentil, but with only three of its surviving crew members on board. They were brought to Turkey on Jan. 30.

The vessel was managed by Borealis Maritime, a firm based in London and Hamburg, Germany.

*Writing by Sena Guler and Ali Murat Alhas in Ankara