New Delhi/Mogadishu: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday confirmed that there are 22 Indian citizens on board two foreign-flagged vessels that have reportedly been hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
The Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker MT Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members – including 16 Indian nationals, one Syrian, one Sudanese and one Iraqi – was reportedly hijacked on Thursday by six armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden, roughly 30 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen.
Another vessel, MV Lutuf with 10 sailors on board, including six Indians, was seized off the coast of Somalia’s Puntland region.
“These are two ships flagged abroad, meaning they are flying the flag of another country. There are 22 Indian citizens on board- 16 on one ship and six on the other. What we have learnt so far is that all 22 of our citizens on board are safe. We are in touch with the relevant authorities on this matter so that we can ensure the safety and well-being of our people,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday.
MEA has maintained that India treats the safety and security of its vessels and seafarers as a subject of high importance and attaches high priority to the issue with Indian missions remaining in constant contact with the Ministry of Shipping, as also with maritime authorities in those countries and other authorities as well, so that as and when any support is required to be provided to the seafarers or Indian flagged ships, they can do that.
Meanwhile, the European Union’s anti-piracy naval force confirmed Friday that it has launched an investigation into the hijacking of Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker MT Sibu 1 and is monitoring the vessel.
It was seized by six armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden, roughly 30 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta, the tanker initially broadcast a distress call on VHF Channel 16, reporting that an unauthorised vessel was approaching while it was sailing westward.
The EU anti-piracy force said the six armed individuals reportedly boarded the tanker, took control of the vessel, and redirected it toward Somalia.
“Vessels operating in the area are advised to maintain heightened vigilance, adhere to Best Management Practices for Maritime Security, and immediately report any suspicious activity or relevant information to the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean and United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations,” it said.
Piracy along busy shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean has driven up insurance costs, forced some shipowners to bypass the Suez Canal in favor of routes around South Africa, and prompted naval warship deployments to the region.
Somali piracy primarily operates as a hijack-for-ransom enterprise, relying heavily on onshore support networks to supply food, water, fuel, and the narcotic plant khat to militiamen guarding captured vessels during ransom negotiations.
(IANS)
