SM Krishna takes up hostages issue with Egyptian envoy

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has sought the help of Egyptian government to help free six Indians held hostage by Somalian pirates.

The government had urged Egypt to impress upon the Egyptian-ship owner of MV Suez to take proactive steps in freeing the hostages.

The ship’s crew members  — which includes four Pakistanis, six Indians, four Sri Lankans and 11 Egyptians — have been held hostage by Somalian pirates in Gulf of Aden since August last.

The pirates have, reportedly, demanded $4 million for the release of the Indians. The owner of the ship, reportedly, has refused to pay the ransom.

Foreign minister SM Krishna spoke to Egyptian ambassador Khaled El Bakly and discussed the hostage crisis at length.

“We told him that we are working on this very seriously. I have also relayed it to Cairo that we have to catch hold of the ship owner and make him sort the crisis. The news is that the owner is not keen. So we are working out to see how best we can go on this. This issue doesn’t concern only India, but many other countries as well. We want Indians and other hostages to be safe home. But the fact is that governments do negotiate with pirates,” Bakly told DNA.

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, meanwhile, tweeted that media publicity leads to pirates hiking their demand.