Mumbai, Jan 23: After being held hostage by Somali pirates for nearly two months, 25 Indian sailors onboard a hijacked vessel have been released unharmed.
"The crew of the ship MT Biscaglia have been released.
All are safe," National Union of Seafarers of India General
Secretary Abdulgani Serang told PTI here tonight.
A Directorate General of Shipping official said the crew
was released last night.
MT Biscaglia, a Liberian flag vessel with 31 crew
onboard, was hijacked on November 28 by Somali pirates at the
Gulf of Aden. Besides Indians, there were three Bangladeshis,
two Britons and an Irish sailor on the vessel.
The British and Irish sailors escape jumped into the
sea and escaped after the pirate attack and they were later
rescued. The Bangladeshis are also safe.
The chemical tanker was carrying 16,282 tonnes of
cargo and travelling between Indonesia and Europe.
Biscaglia is the 97th vessel to be attacked in 2008 off
the Somalian coast. The ship, operated out of Singapore by
Ishima Private Ltd, is owned by Winged Foot Shipping in the
Marshall Islands.
Bureau Report
