Two commercial ships carrying a total of 22 Indian sailors have reportedly been hijacked by pirates in separate incidents off the coasts of Somalia and Yemen. According to Somali authorities, a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship named Lutuf was hijacked off Somalia on August 17. The vessel had 10 crew members, including six Indians. Officials said around eight armed men boarded the ship from small boats and took control of it.
In a separate incident on August 20, pirates reportedly hijacked the Eritrean-flagged oil tanker MT Sibu 1 off the coast of Yemen. The tanker had 20 crew members, including 16 Indians. All the crew members from both vessels are reportedly being held by the pirates. Authorities are investigating the incidents and working to secure the safe release of the sailors.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has not yet issued an official statement on the reported hijackings.
