Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals have been hijacked by pirates in separate incidents off Yemen and Somalia, with officials saying the Indian crew members are safe.
An Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker, MT Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians, was hijacked by armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden on August 20, a senior shipping ministry official said on Friday.
The vessel was reportedly seized around 30 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen, raising fresh concerns over the security of commercial shipping in waters near the Arabian Peninsula.
In a separate incident, a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship carrying 10 crew members, including six Indians, was hijacked off Somalia’s Puntland coast on August 17, the official said.
Together, the two incidents involve 22 Indian crew members aboard the hijacked vessels.
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Officials said the latest information indicates that all Indian crew members are safe. Authorities are monitoring the situation and working to ascertain further details about the vessels and their crews.
The incidents come amid continuing security concerns for commercial shipping in the waters around Yemen, the Gulf of Aden and Somalia, which have witnessed piracy and other maritime security threats.
The Gulf of Aden is a key international shipping route connecting the Indian Ocean with the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Ships travelling through the region have faced heightened risks in recent years, prompting increased vigilance and security measures.
The latest hijackings have once again highlighted the vulnerability of merchant vessels operating in the region and the risks faced by Indian seafarers working on international commercial ships.
Authorities are expected to continue tracking developments and coordinating with relevant maritime and international agencies to ensure the safety of the Indian crew members and work towards securing the release of the vessels.
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