THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for the release of 26 persons including 16 Indians held hostages in Equatorial Guinea.
The CM wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday requesting him to direct the diplomatic missions in the countries concerned to proactively intervene and facilitate the immediate release of the vessel and its crew. The hostages include three from Kerala. The vessel has been held unlawfully since August 14.
The vessel, MT Heroic Idun, had reached Nigeria on August 8 and it was intercepted by the Equatorial Guinea naval ship in international waters and escorted to Luba port. The shipping company paid a fine though they claimed that they did not indulge in any unlawful activities, on September 28. However, the sailors were not released.
The Chief Minister’s letter stressed the fact that the delay in release would affect the mental and physical health of the crew members and further stay in the port which is considered unsafe would also put their lives in danger.
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