Former Hostages Brought to American Base ROME - Two hostages rescued in Somalia by Special Operations Forces this week after three months of captivity were recovering at a military base in Sicily, an American military official said Friday. Jessica Buchanan, an American aid worker, and her Danish colleague Poul Hagen Thisted are undergoing "a post-captivity reintegration process" at the United States Naval Air Base at Sigonella near Catania, Sicily, according to the base's public affairs officer, Lt. Tim Page. Lt. Page could not say how long the process would take and how long the former hostages would remain in Italy. "It depends very much on the individual; no two scenarios are alike," he said. At the request of Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted, he asked that their privacy be respected. A statement issued by the base stated that it was "extremely important" that Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted "have the chance to decompress from this event without the pressure of instant overwhelming public notoriety." Ms. Buchanan, 32, and Mr. Thisted arrived in Sicily on Thursday, the day after Navy Seals commandos rescued them from Somali pirates in a dramatic nighttime operation that left nine Somali gunmen dead. In a statement, President Obama said he had personally authorized the rescue mission. The two aid workers, who were working for the Danish Refugee Council when they were captured, had been in the hands of Somali pirates since October 25. They were abducted near Galkayo, a central Somalia town. After arriving in Sicily, Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted underwent "medical tests and psychological evaluations," as part of the reintegration process, Lt. Page said. They were also debriefed. The statement issued by the base said that the reintegration and decompression process ensured that the "returnees have the best chance to return to their previous lives following this significant event." Lt. Page said he was not at liberty to say whether the two aid workers would be joined in Sicily by their families, as some media have reported. "It is a private matter," he said.