Two industrial vessels carrying a complete of twenty-two Indian nationals have been hijacked in separate incidents off Yemen and Somalia, officers mentioned Thursday, highlighting a renewed piracy menace in waters off the Horn of Africa.
The Eritrea-flagged oil merchandise tanker M.T. Sibu 1, carrying 16 Indians amongst its 20 crew members, was hijacked by six armed pirates within the Gulf of Aden, round 30 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen.
Vessel carrying 16 Indians hijacked in Yemen
All 20 crew members have been reported protected, based on a report ready by the Directorate of Maritime Administration, though the most recent standing of the vessel and crew was awaited.
The crew includes 16 Indian nationals, one Syrian, one Sudanese and one Iraqi nationwide, whereas the nationality of 1 seafarer has not but been confirmed.
The Recruitment and Placement Service Licence company has been requested to submit an incident report and subsequent periodic updates by way of the e-Navik on-line marine casualty reporting system, the report mentioned.
Sumit Kant Singh of SKS Krishiv Marine Providers mentioned his firm had recruited 4 of the crew members and supplied their particulars to the Directorate of Maritime Administration.
Vessel with 6 Indians hijacked in Somalia
Within the second incident, pirates seized the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel M/V LUTUF off Somalia’s Puntland coast on Monday, carrying six Indian nationals amongst its 10-member crew, based on a Somali official cited by the Related Press. The ship was seized round 3.5 nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district and was subsequently taken in direction of the Nugaal coast, the official mentioned. The crew additionally included one Turkish nationwide, one Georgian and two Serbian safety guards.
The vessel, owned by Polar Motion Delivery, was carrying weapons certain for a Turkish army coaching facility in Mogadishu, in addition to communications and satellite tv for pc gear, the official mentioned.
Eight pirates, believed to be members of a gaggle beforehand concerned within the hijacking of the M/V Sward in April, took the vessel in direction of the coast close to Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district, he mentioned.
The standing of the LUTUF, its crew and its cargo was not instantly clear. Turkish authorities had not instantly commented on the incident.
