Pirates freed a ship carrying 22 Indian crew and 13,500 tonnes of gasoline on Tuesday
Pirates freed a ship carrying 22 Indian crew and 13,500 tonnes of gasoline on Tuesday, Hong Kong-based Anglo-Eastern, which was managing the ship, said in a statement. All the crew members, who endured the over four-day ordeal, are safe.
"All crew members are reported to be safe and well and the cargo remains on board," the company said.
"The ship, 'Marine Express', has been released and is back under the command of the captain," Director General of Shipping Malini Shankar told PTI here.
She said all 22 crew members are safe and the ship has resumed further sailing.
It was immediately not clear if a ransom was paid to secure the release of the vessel and the cargo. A DGS official had yesterday said that no ransom call was received.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj thanked "Governments of Nigeria and Benin for their help and support" in freeing the Indians.
"I am happy to inform that Merchant Ship Marine Express with 22 Indian nationals on board has been released. We thanks Governments of Nigeria and Benin for their help and support (sic)," she tweeted.
The 22 sailors had been appointed on the ship by the Anglo Eastern Ship Management and the Panamanian-flagged vessel - Marine Express - was owned by the Ocean Transit Carrier SA, a Japanese company.
The Marine Express was at the anchorage Cotonou in the Gulf of Guinea in Benin when it was taken over by pirates on February 1. All the communication systems on the vessel were switched off by pirates before making it sail.
Nigerian foreign minister Geoffrey Onyeama had on Monday assured Swaraj of all help and assistance in locating the ship that went missing off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea.
"I have just spoken to Foreign Minister of Nigeria regarding missing merchant ship with 22 Indian nationals on board. Hon'ble Foreign Minister of Nigeria has promised all help and assistance in locating the missing ship. We have set up a Helpline no.(+234)9070343860," Swaraj said of her telephonic conversation with the Nigerian leader.
The ship had gone missing less than a month after another vessel, "MT Barret", disappeared off the coast of Benin in January, and was later confirmed to have been hijacked. The 22 crew of "MT Barret", most of whom were Indians, were reportedly released after a ransom was paid.
The Gulf of Guinea has become an increasing target for pirates who steal cargo and demand ransoms, even as piracy incidents fall worldwide, experts say.
Ships in the area were the target of a series of piracy-related incidents last year, according to a January report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which highlighted the waters off West Africa as an area of growing concern.
(With agencies)
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