Vessel With 22 Indian Sailors That Went Missing in West Africa Yet to be Traced
The crew-manning agency, Andheri-based Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, has confirmed that all members on board of the merchant vessel are Indians.
New Delhi, Feb 4: A Panama-registered ship of MT Marine Express, which went missing off the coast of Nigeria nearly three days back, is yet to be traced. At least 22 Indian crew members were on board, the company's UK-based media cell confirmed on Wednesday.
Loaded with nearly 13,500 tonnes of gasoline, the ship went off the radar on February 1. The vessel's last location was traced off the coasts of Nigeria and Benin in West Africa. The possibility of the oil tanker being hijacked cannot be ruled out, considering the high-monetary value of the cargo it was laden with, the authorities said.
"The vessel was last contacted at 0330 UTC on February 1. The first priority is the safety of the 22 crew members on board whose families have been contacted and informed of the situation," the statement issued by the MT Marine Express was quoted as saying by foreign news agencies.
All missing crew members are from India
The crew-manning agency, Andheri-based Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, has confirmed that all members on board of the merchant vessel are Indians. While refraining to give more insight on the issue than what the London-based media cell of MT Marine Express has said, the agency said whether the ship has been hijacked or looted by pirates could only be determined after any contact is established with the missing sailors.
Among those missing, the identity of one has been published in reports -- Sree Unni (25) from Kerala's Kasaragod district. While another crew member is reported to be from Kerala's Kozhikode, the identities of remaining 20 are yet to be published. The MT Marine Express, however, maintains that it has informed the family members of all the 22 missing crew members about the incident.
Search operation underway
Director General of Shipping, Mumbai, B R Shekhar says available diplomatic channels are being used to expedite the search operation. The DG counterparts in Nigeria and Benin have been asked to take immediate measures.
The Indian High Commission in Abuja is constantly in touch with the Nigerian maritime authorities, reports claimed. A lookout has been issued for the missing vessel by Nigerian and Beninian security boats, with the London-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Anti-Piracy Reporting Centre also monitoring the case closely.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2018 11:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).