Pirates Hijack Two Ships With 22 Indians on Board

By Staff, Agencies

Two commercial ships were hijacked in separate incidents this week, reviving concerns over piracy off the coast of the Horn of Africa and surrounding waters. The region has witnessed several attacks on commercial shipping amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The Eritrea-flagged MT Sibu 1, an oil products tanker, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen on Thursday. The vessel had a crew of 20, including 16 Indians.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Thursday that six armed men boarded the ship and diverted it toward Somalia. The tanker had been sanctioned by the US last year for allegedly transporting Iranian petroleum products.

The Cameroon-flagged MV Lutuf, which was carrying weapons for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu, was seized off the coast of Somalia's Puntland region on Monday. Its 10-member crew includes six Indians.

The pirates reportedly took the vessel toward the Nugaal coast, a Somali official was quoted by news reports as saying. The status of the ship and its cargo remains unclear. Indian and Turkish authorities have not issued statements.

India is the world's second-largest supplier of seafarers, with 311,936 Indian maritime professionals working in the global shipping industry.

This disproportionately exposes Indian nationals to attacks on commercial shipping. Ten Indian seafarers have died in attacks on ships since the start of the Middle East conflict, which was triggered by US-"Israeli" attacks on Iran.