(CNN) -- Pirates who seized a Ukrainian vessel loaded with tanks and weapons off the African coast have lowered their ransom demand to $5 million.
The pirates initially demanded $35 million and no military action, said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya Seafarers Association.
They later decreased their demands for several reasons, Mwangura said.
Those reasons include that the crew is from eastern Europe and not the United States (
);
the weapons the ship carries are secondhand; and there is no way to unload the tanks without coming onto land, he said.
According to the defense ministry, the ship was carrying 33 Soviet-made T-72 tanks, tank artillery shells, grenade launchers and small arms.
The ship deliberately took a route far from the coast of Somalia, where pirates are known to operate, in an attempt to avoid them, the minister said.
The Kiev-based source told Interfax on Saturday that radio contact was made with the ship's captain, who reported the crew has come down with malaria. However, the source said the claim might have been an attempt to hasten negotiations.
The ship's crew consists of 17 Ukrainians, three Russians and a Latvian.
U.S. officials said the ship reported being surrounded by three small boats of pirates while sailing 250 miles off the coast of Somalia.
U.S. officials, meanwhile, said they are urging all commercial shippers to carry security personnel on their decks when sailing near Somalia. Earlier this week, a U.S. Navy warship fired warning shots at a small boat that got too close to it, fearing a possible attack.
Meanwhile, Mwangura said an Egyptian ship previously seized by pirates has been released, and a Japanese ship was released after a $2 million ransom was paid.
In addition, a Greek ship was seized by pirates Friday, he said. The ship has a Romanian crew and was heading from Europe to the Middle East.
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Wow, piracy is killing in this economy. I should become a pirate.
