What happened: two hijackings involving Indian nationals
A senior Shipping Ministry official reported two separate pirate hijackings of commercial vessels—one in Yemen and one off Somalia. The total reported count of Indian nationals onboard both vessels was 22. The official reported that Indian crew members were safe based on the latest available information.
Incident 1: M.T. Sibu 1 (Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker)
Pirates hijacked M.T. Sibu 1, an Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker, with 20 crew members, including 16 Indians.
Reported time and location for M.T. Sibu 1: Hijacking location: Gulf of Aden Date: August 20 Reported position: about 30 nautical miles off the Yemeni coast
Reported sequence of events for M.T. Sibu 1: Maritime tracking information cited by the official indicated an unauthorised vessel approached before control was lost. Reportedly, Somali authorities seized the tanker. Reportedly, the tanker was taken toward the Nugaal coast.
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