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A PANAMA flag merchant tanker with 22 Indian crew members onboard that went missing on February 1 was released early on Tuesday morning. The tanker was carrying gasoline worth $8.1 million when it was attacked by pirates in Benin, West Africa. The owners of the company told The Indian Express that the ship was attacked by pirates but released with both crew and cargo safe. It, however, is not clear if any ransom was paid.
“Anglo-Eastern Singapore, managers of the Oil products tanker Marine Express, which was the subject of a pirate attack and seizure on February 1, are pleased to report that the vessel was back under the command of the Master and Crew at approximately 0400 hrs Singapore time today. All crew members are reported to be safe and well and the cargo of 13,500 tons of gasoline remains on board,” read the statement released by the company. It added that the hijack will be probed.
The incident comes less than a month after another vessel, MT Barrett, with Indian crew on-board was hijacked from the same region and was released only after ransom was paid.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who had earlier said the government was co-ordinating with Nigerian and Benin authorities to trace the vessel tweeted on Tuesday: “I am happy to inform that Merchant Ship Marine Express with 22 Indian nationals on board has been released.”
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