New Delhi/Mogadishu, August 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday confirmed that 22 Indian citizens are among the crew members aboard two foreign-flagged vessels reportedly hijacked by pirates off the Somali coast and in the Gulf of Aden.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said all 22 Indians — 16 aboard one vessel and six aboard the other — were safe, while Indian authorities were coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure their security and well-being.
The Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker MT Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members, was reportedly seized by six armed pirates on Thursday in the Gulf of Aden, around 30 nautical miles off Yemen. Its crew comprises 16 Indians, one Syrian, one Sudanese and one Iraqi.
According to the EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta, the tanker had issued a distress call on VHF Channel 16 after reporting that an unauthorised vessel was approaching while it was sailing westward. Six armed individuals subsequently boarded the tanker, took control of it and redirected it towards Somalia.
The EU anti-piracy force said it had launched an investigation and was monitoring the vessel. It advised ships operating in the region to remain highly vigilant, follow established maritime security practices and promptly report suspicious activity.
A second vessel, MV Lutuf, carrying 10 sailors, including six Indians, was reportedly seized off Somalia’s Puntland region.
Jaiswal said India attaches the highest importance to the safety of its vessels and seafarers. Indian missions remain in contact with the Ministry of Shipping, maritime authorities in the concerned countries and other agencies to provide assistance whenever required.
Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean has affected commercial shipping in the region, contributing to higher insurance costs, prompting some vessels to avoid the Suez Canal in favour of routes around southern Africa and leading to increased naval deployments.
Somali piracy has traditionally operated largely through hijack-for-ransom networks supported by shore-based groups that provide supplies to pirates guarding captured vessels during ransom negotiations.
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