On 15 November 2008, pirates - some 450 nautical miles (830 km) off the coast of Somalia, East Africa - captured one of the world´s largest oil tankers, the Sirius Star (UAE). It is 330 metres (1,100 feet long) with a gross tonnage (GT) of 162,252 tons and a total cargo capacity of 318,000 metric tons deadweight. At the time of capture it was carrying a load of crude oil bound for the USA valued at US$110 million (£77.1 million). It was taken by the pirates to the Somali port of Haradheere, and a ransom demanded from the owners. It was eventually released on 9 January 2009, and one of the negotiators for the pirates told the BBC that a ransom of US$3 million (£1.95 million) had been paid. The Sirius Star is the largest ship ever to have been hi-jacked by pirates.
