Nairobi [Kenya], August 21 : The Indian High Commission in Kenya on Friday said that the Indian seafarers aboard two foreign-flagged commercial ships, MT Sibu and MV Lutuf, recently seized by armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast are "reportedly safe."
In a post on X, the High Commission stated that it has taken up the matter of the safety of 22 seafarers, i.e., 16 aboard MT Sibu (Eritrea-flagged) and 6 on MV Lutuf (Cameroon-flagged), with the concerned authorities in Somalia.
"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. 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," the post read.
Reaffirming the committment to safeguarding the sailors, the High Commission wrote, "we attach the highest importance to the safety and welfare of the Indian seafaring community."
https://x.com/IndiainKenya/status/2090816217443717466?s=20
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs addressed growing safety concerns regarding Indian mariners operating in volatile waters, reiterating New Delhi's commitment to prioritising the welfare of its seafaring community.
"There are two ships. Both of these ships are foreign-flagged--meaning they fly the flag of another country. There are 22 Indian citizens/sailors on them: 16 in one and 6 in the other," Jaiswal stated.
Assuring that all Indian seafarers are currently unharmed, the spokesperson added, "What we have learned so far is that those 22 citizens, our sailors, are safe. We are in touch with the relevant officials regarding this matter so that we can ensure the safety and well-being of our people. I will provide more specific information as it becomes available."
He also responded to questions regarding a video released by the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) from an incident dated April 22 on Thursday, which claims Indian sailors were being harassed by forces identified as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, Jaiswal affirmed that safety issues are routinely raised with relevant international authorities.
"As we have said time and again, the welfare and safety of our seafaring community is a matter which we take very seriously and we attach very high priority to this subject," Jaiswal said. "Whenever there's an issue with our seafarer community, with our seamen, we take it up with the relevant authorities. In this particular case, let me come back to you as to what has been the progress."
This comes amid heightened security risks for commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and the Horn of Africa, with Indian authorities actively engaging diplomatic and maritime channels to safeguard citizen safety.