Spain's leaders criticized for handling of hijacking

MADRID: Spain's conservative opposition accused the government yesterday of incompetence in its handling of the hijacking of a Spanish tuna trawler by Somali pirates.

The 47-day hostage crisis ended on Tuesday when pirates freed the ship and its crew of 36, after receiving a reported $3.3 million ransom payment.

Opposition leader Mariano Rajoy told reporters that Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government failed to heed warnings that Spanish tuna boats in the Indian Ocean lacked sufficient security, neglected families of the hostages during much of the crisis and "gave itself medals" when the ordeal concluded with the release of the hostages.