Pirates hijack two ships carrying 22 Indians off Yemen, Somalia
What Happened
Two commercial ships with Indian crew were hijacked in separate pirate attacks off Yemen and Somalia, the Shipping Ministry said. The vessels were the Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker M T Sibu 1 and the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship M/V LUTUF.
Affected Groups
The latest information said the Indian crew members were safe, but the incidents show how Indian seafarers can be caught up in piracy far from home. The LUTUF case also carries added sensitivity because the ship was reportedly transporting weapons and equipment for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu.
Key Uncertainty
Several details around the LUTUF could not be independently verified, including the role of the airstrike that followed and whether those killed were linked to the hijacking.
The final status of the ship, its crew and its cargo was still unclear at the time of reporting.