Five of the pirates who hijacked a Saudi supertanker drowned with their share of a $3 million ransom after the boat they were traveling in capsized.

There were 8 pirates, 3 managed to swim to shore.

The high jacked Saudi ship, The Sirus Star, and its crew safely sailed away on Friday after paying the $3 million ransom demanded by the pirates.

The ship was held captive for two months by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

There are at least a dozen more reported ships currently held captive by Somalis.

Abukar Haji, uncle of one of the dead men, blamed the naval surveillance for the accident that killed his pirate nephew Saturday.

The boat the pirates were traveling in capsized because it was running at high speed because the pirates were afraid of an attack from the warships patrolling around, he said.

Somalia, a country stricken by poverty and lawlessness and with more than 50 percent of its population replying on aid; piracy has become one of the easy ways to make money.

According to recent think tank reports, last year alone Somali pirates earned $30 million.

Somalia