Government talking to ship owners for release of Indian sailors: Krishna
March 4th, 2011 - 12:10 am ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 3 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S.M Krishna Thursday said the government was in touch with the owners of two cargo ships hijacked by Somali pirates for the release of the Indian sailors on board.
The sea brigands, who are holding the sailors on board the ships, have threatened to kill the hostages if their demand for ransom amount was not met.
“The stalemate continues,” Krishna told reporters on the sidelines of the India-Asean Delhi Dialogue III here when asked for an update on the hostage crisis.
He said the government was in touch with the ship’s owners to make them talk to the pirates to obtain the release of the sailors.
“We hope that good sense will prevail upon those who have held our sailors captive. we are in touch with the ship owners so that they can do something in talking to the pirates, who have held hostage our sailors,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister A.K. Antony ruled out any military offensive against the pirates to free the captive Indian sailors. He also expressed difficulty in containing piracy despite the presence of 18 world navies in an anti-piracy effort in the Gulf of Aden.
Somali pirates are holding nine Indians among 22 crew members of Iranian merchant vessel M.V. Sinan since Feb 12 this year and another six Indians among 25 sailors on board Egyptian cargo ship M.V. Suez since Aug 2, 2010.
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Tags: asean, aug 2, brigands, cargo ship, cargo ships, crew members, defence minister, dialogue iii, external affairs minister, good sense, gulf of aden, hostage crisis, krishna, merchant vessel, sailors, sidelines, sinan, somali pirates, stalemate, world navies