22 Indian seafarers reportedly safe after two vessels hijacked off Somalia, Gulf of Aden, says Centre

NEW DELHI: Twenty-two Indian seafarers are among the crew of two commercial vessels hijacked by armed pirates in separate incidents off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, triggering diplomatic efforts by India to secure their safety and welfare.

Key points

• It is understood that there are reportedly 16 Indian seafarers onboard MT Sibu and 6 Indian seafarers onboard MV Lutuf.
• The vessel was reportedly carrying Turkish weapons, communications equipment and satellite equipment destined for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu.
• The first incident involved the Cameroon-flagged MV Lutuf.
• The crew initially took refuge in the ship's citadel, a secured area designed to protect crew members during pirate attacks, but the pirates subsequently gained access.
• Six armed pirates were reportedly aboard the tanker when it was brought under their control.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kenya remarked it has taken up the matter with authorities in Somalia and stressed that the safety of the Indian crew remains a priority. "We have taken up the matter of Indian seafarers onboard vessels MT Sibu (Eritrea flagged) and MV Lutuf (Cameroon flagged) with the concerned authorities in Somalia, " the embassy remarked in an official note.

"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."

For context, the first incident involved the Cameroon-flagged MV Lutuf. It was carrying 10 crew members, including six Indians. The vessel was hijacked on August 17 off Somalia's Puntland coast. Eight armed pirates, reportedly carrying AK-47-type weapons, boarded the vessel using two skiffs and subsequently took control of the ship. The vessel was seized regarding three-and-a-half nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland's Eyl district before being taken towards Somalia's Nugaal coast.

Notably, the crew initially took refuge in the ship's citadel, a secured area designed to protect crew members during pirate attacks, but the pirates subsequently gained access. The crew included six Indians, along with Turkish, Georgian and Serbian nationals. Two Serbian nationals were serving as security personnel.

Notably, the vessel was reportedly carrying Turkish weapons, communications equipment and satellite equipment destined for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu. The second incident involved the Eritrea-flagged oil-products tanker MT Sibu 1, additionally known as the Seamull. The vessel, carrying 20 crew members including 16 Indians, issued a distress call on August 20 in the Gulf of Aden after armed men boarded it and forced it to alter course towards Somalia.

Six armed pirates were reportedly aboard the tanker when it was brought under their control. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal remarked India was closely monitoring the situation. "Two foreign-flagged vessels were involved. While the other had six, " Jaiswal remarked, one had 16 Indian nationals on board. "We are in touch with authorities; all of them are reportedly safe." The incidents have renewed reservations over maritime security in waters connecting the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean, where piracy has periodically threatened commercial shipping.

In short, 22 Indian seafarers reportedly safe after two vessels hijacked off Somalia, Gulf is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.