'Unlawful Detention': 16 Indian Sailors Held Hostage By Equatorial Guinea Navy, Seek Help From Centre For Release

The Norwegian-flagged MT Heroic Idun was arrested by the Equatorial Guinea naval ship on August 12 in international waters. As many as 16 Indian sailors, part of the 26-member crew, have been detained. In a statement, they have appealed to the Indian government to rescue them from 'unlawful detention.'

Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan mentioned that he is aware of the matter and the ministry is working to bring Indian nationals back home.

Detained Indian Sailors Issue Statement

According to officials, 15 crew members, including nine Indian nationals, have been detained at Malabo since August 14, and the remaining 11 crew members, including six Indians, were left on the ship.

In a statement, the Indian sailors mentioned, "We, the crew of MT Heroic Idun, would like to request help and assistance to get us released and be brought back to India from Equatorial Guinea, where we have been held unlawfully since August 14, 2022. The vessel has a total crew of 26 persons, and out of that, we have 16 Indians, 8 Sri Lankans, 1 Polish, and 1 Filipino national onboard," reported News18.

The sailors also claimed that the vessels' managers, owners, and crew members completely cooperated with the investigation carried out by the Guinean authorities. The sailors now fear arrest by Nigeria as the Guinean Navy detained them at the request of Nigerian authorities.

What Has Led To Detention?

The ship consisting of a crew of 24 members, was expected to load a cargo of crude oil in the AKPO terminal of Nigeria on August 8, but due to a delay in operations, it wasn't done. On the same day, the ship was approached by an unidentified craft, claiming to be the Nigerian Navy, which asked to follow them and their instructions.

It was midnight, and the sailors couldn't confirm their identity due to the absence of light and an Automatic Identification System. They tried to verify the identity, but due to adverse situations, it wasn't possible.

Fearing a pirate attack, the ship sailed out of the location at full speed. The next day it was found that the unidentified vessel was a Nigerian craft. Following this, the sailors were detained by the Guinea Navy at the request of Nigerian authorities.

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