Taiwan hostage freed by Somali pirates ate mice, scorpions

Shen Jui-chang (centre), Chief Engineer of the Taiwan-owned, Omani-flagged fishing boat FV Naham 3, talks to the son of slain Captain Chung Hui-teh (left), whose father was shot dead by Somali pirates, after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport, outside Taipei, Taiwan on 26 October 2016. -EPA

TAIPEI: Hostages were forced to eat mice, scorpions and centipedes to survive during the nearly five years they were held by Somali pirates, according to a Taiwanese seafarer who arrived home Wednesday.

Shen Jui-chang, among 26 hostages freed from the crew of Naham 3 seized south of the Seychelles in March 2012, added he had constantly had a gun pointed at his head during his ordeal.