Nairobi: The High Commission of India in Kenya on Friday confirmed the safety of 22 Indian seafarers on board two foreign-flagged vessels which pirates off the coast of Somalia reportedly hijacked.
“We have taken up the matter of Indian seafarers on board vessels MT Sibu (Eritrea-flagged) and MV Lutuf (Cameroon-flagged) with the concerned authorities in Somalia. It is understood that there are reportedly 16 Indian seafarers onboard MT Sibu and 6 Indian seafarers onboard MV Lutuf. All Indian seafarers are reportedly safe. We attach the highest importance to the safety and welfare of the Indian seafaring community,” the Indian High Commission in Kenya stated on X.
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.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that it is in touch with the relevant authorities on this matter to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian seafarers.
“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. So far, we have learnt 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.
(IANS)
