New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said that marine engineer Santosh Bhardwaj, who was kidnapped by pirates near Nigeria on March 26, has been safely rescued.
"I am extremely happy to inform that Shri Santosh Bhardwaj has been rescued from pirates in Nigeria," the EAM said in a tweet along with a picture of Santosh's wife Kanchan.
I am extremely happy to inform that Shri Santosh Bhardwaj has been rescued from pirates in Nigeria.pic.twitter.com/a4ikQUe9y8
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 11, 2016
Bhardwaj was working as third engineer in Singapore-based shipping company Transocean Limited when he was kidnapped along with four colleagues from different countries when their ship Sampatiki was at sea, around 30 nautical miles off Nigerian capital Lagos.
Bhardwaj's relatives had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, to get the marine engineer freed.
Bhardwaj hails from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi city.
