New Delhi: A strong plea was made in the Lok Sabha today for urgent government intervention into the hijacking by Somali pirates of a Panama flag oil tanker holding captive 232 crew, including 35 Indians.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, senior Congress member P C Chacko lamented that the life of those held captive was in danger and no one was there to intervene as the Nigerian owner of the vessel was untraceable.
The families of the Indians held captive were getting frantic calls that food and water supply on the ship M T Royal Grace was running out and urgent intervention is needed to save them, he said.
Noting that India has the fourth largest Navy in the world and should not remain a silent spectator to the serious development, he wanted a strong action either through negotiations or intervention.
Supported by Left MPs from Kerala, he recalled how Italy has been proactive over the arrest of two of their marines over the killing of two Indian fishermen.
PTI
