22 Indian Sailors Held Hostage By Somalia Pirates

While Indian seafarers continue to face tough maritime challenges due to the ongoing global tensions, an unexpected shock now came in the form of the infamous Somalia and Yemen pirates who hijacked two ships and held hostage 22 sailors.

As per the latest reports, two commercial ships carrying 22 Indian crew members have been hijacked by armed pirates in separate incidents near Yemen and Somalia.The Indian government said all 22 Indian sailors are reported to be safe. But, the incident has compounded the ongoing woes of sailors.

While first incident took place on August 17, when the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship M/V LUTUF was seized off Somalia’s Puntland coast, the second hijack happened yesterday in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen coast.

The first ship had 10 crew members, including six Indians. Eight armed pirates reportedly boarded the vessel using two small boats and took control of the ship. The crew first moved into a protected area, but the pirates later gained access and took them to the bridge. No injuries have been reported.

The second vessel is an Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker MT Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians. It was taken over by six armed pirates. The ship had sent a distress call before the gunmen boarded it and forced it to change course towards Somalia.

These incidents have brought Somali pirates back into the limelight after years of decline. Recent reports indicate that pirate activity has again increased around Somali waters and the Gulf of Aden.

Sources revealed that the Indian government agencies and international maritime safety forces are working together to coordinate communications, secure the safe release of the hostages.