A British woman who had been held for six months by Somali pirates was freed yesterday after delivery of a large ransom.

The Times reports a $1.3 million ransom was dropped from a plane to secure the release of Judith Tebbutt, who had been vacationing on a remote coast of Kenya last September when Somali pirates captured her and killed her husband.

Somali pirate attacks 2005-2010 (Wikimedia Commons)

She had been held in neighboring Somalia prior to her release yesterday.

Tebbutt, from the Guardian:

"I am of course hugely relieved to at last be free, and overjoyed to be reunited with my son Ollie... This, however, is a time when my joy at being safe again is overwhelmed by my immense grief, shared by Ollie and the wider family, following David's passing in September last year. My family and I now need to grieve properly."

The British government says it did not supply or help deliver the ransom.

The money was apparently raised privately by members of Tebbutt's family, and delivered by a private security firm.

Tebbutt was flown to Nairobi Wednesday, where she was being taken care of by officials of the British high commission.  She is expected to return to the UK today.