Back-channel efforts on to free sailors

With 53 Indian sailors still held hostage by Somali pirates, the government on Thursday said it was doing everything possible to free them from captivity, including back channel efforts.

External affairs minister SM Krishna told the Rajya Sabha that the matter had to be viewed objectively, as piracy was a disturbing and serious issue, and also urged members to show restraint. He also said India is in touch with the owners of the hijacked ships.

“We will have to be restrained but at the same time we will have to pursue vigorously through back channels, there cannot be any time limit,” Krishna said.