Indian Seafarers Kidnapped by Pirates off Africa: Families Urge Government for Rescue

Seven Indian seafarers, including two engineers from Tamil Nadu, were kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Africa while the ship Bitu River was travelling from Lome to Cameroon. The family members of the seafarers have appealed to the Union government for their rescue. Among the kidnapped individuals are Lakshmana Pradeep Murugan from Theni district, serving as a second officer with Maritec Tanker Management Private Ltd., along with three Romanians, Sathish Kumar Selvaraj from Karur, Sandeep Kumar Singh from Bihar, Asif Ali from Minicoy, Rajeendran Bhargavan from Kerala, Mirka Sameen Javeed and Solkar Rihan Shabbir from Maharashtra, and other crew members.

The ship was attacked by heavily-armed pirates approximately 40 nautical miles southeast of Santo Antonio do Príncipe, an island in São Tomé and Príncipe, off the west coast of Central Africa on March 17. The crew activated the emergency alarm and sought shelter in the citadel, but the pirates managed to breach it and gain access to the crew. The pirates kidnapped ten officers and confined the remaining crew members to a cabin, threatening them with execution if they tried to escape. Personal belongings were also looted, including gold, mobile phones, and laptops.

The company informed the families about the incident, but there have been no concrete updates regarding the abducted crew’s whereabouts or rescue efforts. The family members are urging the Union government to take necessary diplomatic and strategic actions to ensure the safe rescue and return of the seafarers. The situation is critical, and immediate intervention is required to secure the release of the kidnapped individuals and bring them back home safely.

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