Cairo affirms ongoing efforts to secure swift release of Egyptian sailors detained off Somalia

Friday September 4, 2026

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates affirmed on Thursday its ongoing intensive efforts and contacts to secure the swift release of the Egyptian sailors detained aboard a vessel off the Somali coast.

In a statement, the ministry said FM Badr Abdelatty is personally following developments and has directed that intensive efforts continue on all fronts to ensure the sailors’ safety and swift release.

The ministry further stressed that intensive contacts are currently underway with the relevant Somali and Yemeni authorities to follow up on developments.

It stressed that these calls aim to push for the sailors’ swift release, while ensuring their safety and well-being, meeting their basic needs, and providing adequate living conditions until the crisis is resolved and they return safely home.

The ministry highlighted ongoing contacts with the company that owns the vessel to ensure the sailors’ swift release and oblige it to fulfill its responsibilities under international law.

According to the statement, the ministry is also maintaining regular contact with the sailors’ families to keep them informed of the latest developments and the efforts being made until their release.

In late August, the Egyptian FM confirmed Cairo’s ongoing intensive efforts to secure the sailors’ release.

Speaking to Al Arabiya TV channel, Abdelatty said that the Somali authorities have maintained daily contact with the kidnappers and are leveraging their strong ties with the tribes in the area where the vessel is being held to secure the sailors’ release. 

Additionally, the Egyptian FM said he remains in contact with the Yemeni Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, noting that the vessel is owned by a Yemeni national and that Yemeni authorities speak daily to the ship’s owner.

The case dates back to early May, when Somali pirates hijacked the Togolese-flagged vessel, named MT Eureka, after it left Yemeni waters, forcing it to head towards Somali territorial waters near Puntland.

Shortly after the incident, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement, affirming its ongoing and close monitoring of the case, while noting it had facilitated communication between the kidnapped sailors and their families.