The captain of the vessel, which was held captive by Somali pirates, has returned to his native Vitebsk

March 16, Vitebsk Olga Bogacheva - BELTA. The crew of the vessel Thai Union-3 bravely and courageously endured 130 days of captivity by Somali pirates. This opinion was expressed today to journalists by Captain Sergey Kharlan, who returned to his native Vitebsk, recalling the sad events of recent months. The tuna seiner, owned by a Thai company and with a crew of 27, was seized in the Indian Ocean by Somali pirates on October 29, 2009. "We knew the area we would be working in and that such a situation was possible. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened," said Sergey Kharlan. During the attack, the captain tried to maneuver and return fire, so the attackers only managed to seize the vessel after a 50-minute chase. The resistance angered the Somalis, so the first pirate who broke into the bridge fired two single shots from a Kalashnikov rifle at Sergey Kharlan. The first wound was to his left forearm. The second shot was aimed at his chest, but the bullet grazed him near the heart without hitting any internal organs. The sailor concealed this wound, not wanting to worry his relatives even more. "After examination, I decided that I would still live, for at least ten days, but I would most likely lose my left arm. Fortunately, all of that was avoided," Sergey Kharlan recalls his first thoughts after being wounded. First aid was provided by three crew members who were nearby. To stop the bleeding, they had to stitch up the dangerous wounds. "They weren't scared, they did it! And then I was on antibiotics for six days until the pirates transferred me to a local hospital, where a surgeon more professionally treated and re-stitched the wounds," the captain added. Sergey Kharlan is now preparing for a repeat operation on his left forearm, and after recovering his health, he plans to go to sea again, specifying the main condition – if his wife allows it. "It's too early to talk about that yet," said his wife Elena, who is simply happy about her husband's safe return. They intend to dedicate their first day together to personal communication. The menu includes the captain's favorite dishes: homemade sausage with boiled potatoes and crepes with honey for dessert. Their nine-year-old son also contributed to the celebration, bringing dozens of drawings from school for his father today. To conclude the conversation, for those who imagine pirates as romantic figures, Sergey Kharlan added: "Modern pirates are savages with automatic weapons, no civilization, who can kill at any moment without a good reason." And only armed guards on board can help avoid capture, he concluded. -0-