New Delhi, Aug 21 (NVI) Two foreign-flagged ships, with 22 Indian seafarers on board, have been hijacked off the coast of Yemen and Somalia and the Indian government has taken up the matter with the relevant authorities of Somalia.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said all the 22 Indian nationals are reported to be safe.
The two vessels are Eritrea-flagged oil tanker Sibu-1 and Cameroon-flagged general cargo carrier Lutuf.
While Lutuf was hijacked off the coast of Somalia on August 17, Sibu-1 was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen yesterday.
The vessels were overpowered by armed men travelling in hordes of fast-moving boats, with the attackers firing at the ships, including using the Rocket-Propelled Guns (RPGs), according to reports.
“Two foreign-flagged ships have been hijacked. We are in touch with the concerned authorities. There are 22 Indian nationals on board, 16 on one ship and six on the other, and all of them are reportedly safe,” Jaiswal said.
“We are looking into the matter. Let me tell you that the welfare and safety of our seafarers and seafaring community is something to which we attach very high importance,” the spokesman said while addressing the media here. (NVI)
