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53 Indian sailors held captive by pirates: MEA

March 10, 2011 19:22 IST

With 53 Indian sailors still held captive by Somali pirates, India on Thursday said the safety and security of Indians remains the priority of the government and efforts were on to seek their safe release. Noting that there were five ships now held by pirates with Indian crew members onboard, the ministry of external affairs said, "In all these cases, our missions and posts concerned have been in regular touch with the ship-owners and their respective governments, to secure the release of our nationals."

"Our ambassador in Cairo and consul general in Dubai are also working energetically with their counterparts from other countries whose crew members have been held by the pirates, in order to intensify efforts to secure their release," a spokesperson said.

With the release of the RAK Afrikana, held by Somali pirates with 11 Indian sailors among its crew, the number of Indian sailors captured by Somali pirates during the hijacking of five ships -- MV Iceberg, MV Suez, MT Asphalt Venture, MV Sinin (all Panamanian ships) and MT Savina Caylyn (an Italian ship) -- is now 53.

Following recent incidents of pirate attacks closer to India's western shores, the Indian Navy has increased its vigil and neutralised two pirate 'mother ships' and captured 43 pirates, the ministry said.

The Directorate General of Shipping has issued numerous advisories, circulars and notices on the recommended traffic corridors, protocol with Indian naval ships, precautions to be taken and areas to be avoided. "It is also necessary for flag States to be accountable and persuade the ships-owners to expedite the conclusion of negotiations with pirates so that seafarers are released quickly," the ministry said.

The MEA comes into the picture where a ship's owners/management is based in a foreign country, and has assisted by taking up the matter with local governments to expedite negotiations between the owners/management of the ship and the pirates.

As a result of such efforts, 21 Indian nationals held on merchant ships were released in 2008, 34 in 2009, 56 in 2010 and 13 in 2011, bringing the total number of sailors who have been released to 124. In most cases, ships on which Indian crew members are held in captivity have crew members of other nationalities as well.