Kerala - Kochi   

Kin seek steps for release of sailors

KOCHI: Family members of two Malayali officers on board an Italian oil tanker MV Savina Caylyn hijacked by pirates on February 8 approximately 670 nautical miles east of Socotra Island in the Indian Ocean have urged the Union government and the company management to take immediate steps to release the crew.

The vessel was on passage to Pasir Gudang (Malaysia) from Bashayer (Sudan) when it was attacked.

Stating that they have not received any information regarding the present condition of the crew that consists of Italians and Indians, Balakrishnan Nair and Bijisha, father and wife of officer Bijesh, said here on Thursday that he had called twice after the vessel was hijacked.

Explaining that Mr. Bijesh had told them that the pirates did not attack him physically, Ms. Bijisha said that her husband also informed that he was getting food on board. “But we have no clue on his present condition. We have not been able to establish any further contact, as the call seems to have been made from a satellite phone,” she said.

Urging the Union and State governments to initiate urgent steps to get the crew released, Omana and Praseena, mother and wife of Hari C. Nair, third engineer in the vessel, said they were hoping that Mr. Hari and the remaining crew would be released without any harm.

Sreeraj, brother of Mr. Hari, said they had no idea on the ransom and other demands made by the pirates. He said the Indian embassy in Italy had also informed them that there was no information on the present status of the crew.

Officials in the embassy were also unaware of any talks being held between the company management and the pirates, Mr. Sreeraj said.

Pointing out that hundreds of seafarers from India were facing the threat of pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, the Merchant Navy Officers' Welfare Association requested the Union government to appoint a diplomatic official to participate in the negotiation process with the ship owner and the flag State administration of vessels hijacked by the pirates.

Benny Kollassany, president, and Sardar Kandathil, general secretary, said that the government should exert pressure on the ship owner, if he backtracks from paying the ransom to ensure the release of the crew.

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