'Efforts on to secure release of Indians abducted by pirates'

Kochi, Oct 31 (PTI) The Indian government Saturday
said it was trying its best to secure the release of 24
Indians onboard the ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates
near Seychelles last week.

"The matter has been taken up by the government at the
highest level," Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi
said here.
He said the External Affairs Ministry is also taking
up the issue "at differnt levels" to ensure the release of the
Indians onboard the ship.
The 22,000-tonne bulk carrier, MV Al Khaliq, was
seized by the pirates in the waters off Somalia on October 22.
"It is being taken up by the Ministry of External
Affairs and also I believe that the Defence Minister is also
discussing how we can get the ship back and save the Indians
onboard," he said.
Somalia's pirates were responsible for over half of
the 306 attacks against ships worldwide in the first nine
months of this year. PTI MPB
ANU


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