New Delhi (NVI): A seafarer from Andhra Pradesh, who escaped Somalian pirates aboard a ship near Nigeria last year, is all set to return home as he was released yesterday after Foreign Minister S Jaishankar discussed the matter with his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama.
The Indian Embassy in Nigeria today tweeted on the development. The seafarer identified as Shankar Rao was stranded on the oil vessel ‘MT Apecus’ at Bonny Island near Nigeria since last year.
“Glad to inform that due to our sustained efforts, seafarer Shankar Rao, stranded on MT Apecus at Bonny Island since last year, was safely released yesterday. EAM @DrSJaishankar had discussed it with FM @GeoffreyOnyeama. We thank @NigeriaGov for all legal and security assistance,” the Indian embassy in Nigeria tweeted.
Glad to inform that due to our sustained efforts, seafarer Shankar Rao, stranded on MT Apecus at Bonny Island since last year, was safely released yesterday. EAM @DrSJaishankar had discussed it with FM @GeoffreyOnyeama. We thank @NigeriaGov for all legal and security assistance. pic.twitter.com/iOpbfft2bM
— India in Nigeria (and Benin, Chad & ECOWAS) (@india_nigeria) November 19, 2020
24-year-old Rao had also written to director-general of shipping in India, Amitabh Kumar, to help him out.
Five Indian crew members were kidnapped by the pirates on the oil tanker on April 19 last year. Shankar Rao hid in the engine room. The five kidnapped Indian were released after nearly two months on June 27 after spending 70 days in captivity.
-ARK
