Pinarayi Vijayan urges PM to take steps for release of Indian seafarers held in Guinea

As distress calls started coming in from Keralites among the Indian seafarers held in Equatorial Guinea, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take urgent measures for their release.

As many as 16 Indians were in the Norwegian vessel MT Heroic Idun held in Equatorial Guinea on August 12. Even as the shipping company reportedly paid the fines on September 28, the seafarers are yet to be released.

Three Keralites among them had contacted their families in Kerala and expressed fears that they were being taken to Nigeria. They also sent video messages conveying their plight. Around 15 are kept in a room and not being given food and water, they said.

There were also reports that chief officer Sanu Joseph was already taken to Nigeria.

The Chief Minister said in a letter to the Prime Minister that the undue delay in the release would affect the mental and physical health of crew members and could also put their lives in danger.