Dozens of Hostages Freed on Oil Platform

Militant youths released dozens of oil workers--including at least eight foreigners--after holding them hostage for nearly four days on a drilling rig off the coast of West Africa, Shell Oil said.

The hostages, who were seized Thursday night, were unharmed, said Bisi Ojeidiran, a spokesman for Shell’s joint venture with the Nigerian government. The workers were evacuated by helicopter to the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt, said Guy Cantwell, spokesman for Transocean Sedco Forex, which owns the platform. He said the takeover resulted from a dispute over the sharing of the region’s oil wealth.

There were conflicting reports on the number and nationalities of hostages. Ojeidiran said 99 people were seized--80 Nigerians and 19 foreigners. But Cantwell said 50 had been taken, including five Britons, two Americans and an Egyptian.