Seoul, Nov 7 (DPA) Somali pirates have freed a South Korean oil tanker seized off the coast of East Africa seven months ago, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

The 300,000-tonne Samho Dream was released along with its 24-man crew of five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos, Yonhap quoted the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme as saying.

The supertanker set course for the US after it was released, the report said.

The Samho Dream was flying the flag of the Marshall Islands when it was captured April 14. It was carrying oil worth $170 million at the time.