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| Pranab assures release of MT Stolt Valor crew | | | AGENCIES
NEW DELHI, Oct 19: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday met Seema Goyal, wife of the captain of hijacked MT Stolt Valor, and assured her the safe rescue of those on board the ship.
The Japanese vessel, MT Stolt Valor carrying 18 Indian crew members, was hijacked off the Gulf of Aden almost a month ago.
Seema Goyal, wife of Captain Prabhat Goyal, and families of other crew members met the minister last night. They later said that Mukherjee assured them that the government was in constant touch with the Japanese ship owners and was putting pressure on them to ensure the safe release of crew members.
The government has time-to-time assured that talks are in progress with hijackers.
India on Saturday had rushed its front line warship to the Gulf of Aden to protect Indian merchant vessels sailing in the high seas off the east African coast from armed pirates.
"The Navy has already re-deployed a warship to the Gulf of Aden. The ship, which was in the region, was asked to rush to the Gulf of Aden following the government orders," a Naval officer said.
"The ship has enough endurance to remain there and provide security to Indian flagships carrying cargo till another warship is sent there to replace it," the officer added.
Navy sources said the re-deployed warship was a stealth frigate and it had the wherewithal to protect Indian merchant ships sailing through the Gulf of Aden.
It is most likely to remain in the region near the Horn of Africa for a month. |
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