Russian sailors captured by Nigerian pirates in October have been released and are currently on their way home, Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

"Sailors from the French vessel Bourbon Liberty 249, including six Russians and one Estonian, have been freed. They feel themselves well and are provided with all necessities. They will come home shortly," the ministry said in a statement.

Moscow thanked Nigeria, France, Estonia and Luxembourg for their close cooperation and coordination on freeing the sailors from captivity safely, the ministry said.

Nigerian pirates kidnapped six Russian citizens and one Estonian national on Oct. 15, leaving another nine crew members onboard the hijacked ship in the shelf off the southern coast of Nigeria.