In a photo released by the Navy Visual News Service Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, the U.S. Navy fleet ocean tug USNS Catawba provides fuel and fresh water to Motor Vessel Faina following its release by Somali pirates Feb. 5 after holding it for more than four months. The Belize-flagged cargo ship is owned and operated by 'Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine' and is carrying a cargo of Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related equipment. The ship was attacked on Sept. 25 and forced to proceed to anchorage off the Somali Coast. (AP Photo/Navy Visual News Service, Petty Officer, Michael R. McCormick)

Freed Arms Ship Sails Away From Somali Coast -- Yahoo News/AP

NAIROBI, Kenya – A Ukrainian cargo ship carrying tanks and other heavy weapons sailed Saturday for Kenya with a U.S. military escort, leaving the Somali coast where pirates had held it for more than four months.

MV Faina was heading for the port of Mombasa under its own power, Vadim Alperin, the ship's owner, said in a statement posted on a Russian maritime Web site. It was being escorted by the guided missile destroyer USS Mason, and U.S. Navy commandoes were on board the Faina to provide security, he said.

Cmdr. Jane Campbell, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, confirmed the navy was escorting the Faina, but gave no details.

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More News On Somali Piracy

Somali pirates quit ‘mystery’ ship -- Financial Times
Arms ship set to leave for Kenya -- BBC
Navy Provides Assistance to Faina -- Military.com
MV Faina could embarrass Kenya -- Press TV
Pirates Free Ship, Doubts Remain on Destination -- Time Magazine
Faina crew healthy, cargo undamaged - Ukrainian spokeswoman -- RIA Novosti
8 African countries, Yemen to fight piracy -- Business Times
Gaddafi sympathises with Somali pirates -- Saturday Star
The Somali Piracy Epiphenomenon about to End. I – There Are No ´Pirate Paraphernalia´ -- American Chronicle