Six Indians among 10 crew aboard cargo ship seized by pirates off Somalia

Six Indian nationals were among the 10 people aboard a Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel seized by pirates off Somalia’s Puntland coast earlier this week.

According to a Somali official, the M/V LUTUF was taken on Monday (August 17) and subsequently moved by the pirates toward Puntland’s Nugaal coast. The vessel was carrying weapons from Turkey, along with communications and satellite equipment.

Vessel seized off Puntland coast

The ship was captured about three and a half nautical miles from Marraya, in Puntland’s Eyl district, the official told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to publicly discuss sensitive information.

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The vessel is owned by Polar Movement Shipping. According to the official, its cargo included Turkish weapons destined for a military training facility in Mogadishu. Communications and satellite equipment were also aboard the ship.

The crew consisted of 10 people, of which six were Indian nationals. The others included one Turkish national, one Georgian and two Serbian security guards, the official said.

Weapons and equipment on board

The seizure took place off Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia that has previously faced piracy incidents along its coastline.

In this case, the pirates reportedly moved the vessel toward the Nugaal coast after taking control of it on Monday.

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There was no immediate statement from Turkish authorities regarding the reported hijacking.

The Somali official’s account, however, does not provide any further information about the crew’s condition or the circumstances following the ship’s seizure.

Pirates move vessel towards coast

Eight pirates, believed to be members of a group previously involved in the hijacking of the M/V Sward on April 26, took the vessel toward the coast near Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district.

Two Turkish-owned vessels later approached the hijacked ship, while Turkish helicopters and drones monitored the area, the official said.

On Tuesday, a small boat carrying two men approached the vessel and delivered khat, a stimulant commonly chewed in Somalia, he said.

After the boat returned to shore, an airstrike followed, killing four men and wounding two others, the official said. (With agency inputs)