Egypt exerts tremendous efforts to release sailors kidnapped off Somalia: FM Abdelatty

Saturday August 22, 2026

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty confirmed that intensive efforts are underway to secure the release of the eight Egyptian sailors, who were kidnapped aboard an oil tanker off the Somali coast on 2 May.

Speaking to Al Arabiya TV channel on Wednesday, the Egyptian FM stressed that efforts to secure the sailors’ release are ongoing. 

He added that these efforts align with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to safeguard Egyptians’ interests abroad. 

He confirmed that he follows the situation of the Egyptian sailors daily, emphasizing that he spoke with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali on Tuesday.

Moreover, Abdelatty explained that the Somali authorities are leveraging their strong ties with the tribes in the area where the vessel is being held to secure the hostages’ release. He affirmed that the authorities in Somalia have maintained daily contact with the kidnappers.

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.

Abdelatty emphasized that Cairo will continue its efforts until the sailors are safely released and returned home.

He also highlighted Egypt’s success in securing the release and safe return of four sailors who had been detained since January off the Iranian coast.

The case dates back to early May, when Somali pirates hijacked the vessel MT Eureka after it left Yemeni waters. They forced the ship to head toward Somali territorial waters near Puntland.

Sailing under the Togolese flag, the vessel has been held off the Somali coast since May. Its crew of 12 includes eight Egyptians.

Shortly after the incident, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement, affirming that it was monitoring the case closely.

The ministry also said it had facilitated communication between the kidnapped sailors and their families. It added that its consular sector held regular meetings with the sailors’ families to brief them on efforts to secure their relatives’ release.

The Egyptian embassy in Mogadishu has been in contact with Somali authorities and relevant agencies. Similarly, Egypt’s embassy in Riyadh, which is accredited to Yemen, has been coordinating with Yemeni authorities and the vessel’s owner.

Stalled negotiations and disputes over the ransom complicated the crisis.

Talks with the pirates had collapsed after the hijackers reportedly demanded a higher ransom, reversing a previous settlement attempt.

The crisis has renewed concerns over piracy off the Horn of Africa and in the Gulf of Aden, a key shipping route linking the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to global trade routes.