Riyadh - The Sirius Star supertanker, released by pirates after being seized in mid-November, has left Somali coastal waters, a statement by Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Nuami said Saturday.

All 25 crew were said to be well. The pirates left Friday, with some reports saying they received three million dollars. However, the minister's statement made no reference to any ransom being paid.

The 330-metre-long supertanker, carrying 100 million dollars-worth of crude oil, had been seized some 830 kilometres off the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa.

The vessel was carrying oil for Vela International Marine Limited, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian state-run Saudi Aramco firm to the United States. It can carry up to 2 million barrels of oil.

When the pirates seized the Sirius Star and its 25 crew members, it was the largest vessel taken by pirates and represented their most daring raid to date, despite the presence of international warships.

The ship's crew, who were from Britain, Croatia, the Philippines, Poland and Saudi Arabia, were said to be safe during their abduction, Vela International said in a statement on its website at the time.

Foreign navies have sent over a dozen warships to the area seeking to stop piracy in the region, which has driven up shipping costs and forced some ships to re-route around Africa rather than passing through the Suez Canal. (dpa)