Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his immediate intervention to help in the release of 16 Indian seafarers, who are on a Norwegian oil vessel detained by Equatorial Guinea.
The Norwegian ship 'Heroic Idun', which had reached the AKPO Terminal in Nigeria on August 8 to fill crude oil, was intercepted and detained by a Guinea naval ship. The 16 Indians are a part of the 26-member crew of the Norwegian oil vessel.
Vijayan stated in the letter that even though the ship did not engage in any unlawful activity, the shipping company was ready to pay the fines to facilitate the early release of the seafarers. The chief minister requested Modi to see that the diplomatic missions were alerted and speedy action was there so that the Indian seafarers were released.
The Congress lawmakers from Kerala have also approached the Centre to see that steps were taken to see the quick release of all the Indians. According to the sailors, who have communicated with their families, they were detained on suspicion of crude oil piracy.
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Roshan Arora, a 26-year-old merchant navy official who is among the 16 Indians detained for the last three months, secretly managed to tell his family members about them being held hostage by the Guinea Navy detained on suspicion of crude oil piracy. Working as an Assistant Officer in the merchant navy, Roshan also made a video requesting the Indian government to release the crew members held hostage by Equatorial Guinea.
In his video, he said, "we have been trapped in Equatorial Guinea for the last 85 days. The Navy of Guinea has already taken our Chief Officer and we will be handed over to the Nigerian Navy by tomorrow morning." He further said that "We have full faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that they will rescue us."
BJP MP Satyadev Pachauri met the family members of Roshan on Monday assuring them of all possible help for his release. Pachauri said that he will personally External Affairs Minister to work out a solution. Despite paying a fine on September 28, the crew members and the vessel are still held in Equatorial Guinea.
