CNN || Spanish judge considers pirate prisoner swap

A Spanish judge would consider sending two Somali pirate suspects held in Madrid back to Africa, as demanded by pirates holding a Spanish fishing boat and its crew off the Somali coast, it was reported Friday.

Citing sources at the National Court, CNN partner station CNN+ reported Judge Santiago Pedraz would consider such a move if he's asked by prosecutors or by lawyers at Spain's Justice Ministry. Such a request hasn't yet occurred.

The news comes a day after the Spanish government confirmed that the pirates transferred three of the fishing boat's 36 crew members to land on Thursday.

Since then, relatives of some of the crew members have called Spanish media and held news conferences, demanding that the two pirate suspects -- captured by the Spanish military and transferred to Madrid -- be sent back to Africa.

On Friday, the ship's owner, Echebastar Fleet, also demanded that the two pirate suspects be allowed to leave Spain.

It is thought to be the first time that any of the crew -- 16 from Spain and 20 from Africa and Asia -- were removed from the ship -- the Alakrana -- that was captured October 2 in international waters off Somalia.

Spanish news media have reported that the three crew members moved to land are Spaniards, but Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon declined to identify their nationalities at a news conference on Thursday.

Chacon said Spanish authorities know where the three crew members are being held on land. "We know they are well," she added.

The two pirate suspects, identified as Raageggesey Hassan Haji and Cabdiweli Cabdullahi, were detained by the Spanish military a day after pirates captured the fishing boat.