Families appeal for release of 10 seafarers kidnapped from product tanker
The families of 10 seafarers abducted by pirates from a tanker off West Africa have appealed for their release.
The fate of the crew of the 16,500-dwt Bitu River (built 2022) was not clear after the vessel was boarded by armed men eight days ago off Sao Tome and Principe.
Shots were said to have been fired and the seafarers retreated to the citadel.
Maritime security companies said up to 10 crew members may have been kidnapped.
Now the families of the seafarers have spoken out.
Indian daily newspaper The Hindu reported that seven Indians and three Romanians were taken off the ship.
One of the crew members, Lakshmana Pradeep Murugan, has been serving as a second officer with the vessel’s manager, Maritec Tanker Management, for over three years.
Other missing Indian crew members were named as Sathish Kumar Selvaraj, Sandeep Kumar Singh, Asif Ali, Rajeendran Bhargavan, Mirka Sameen Javeed and Solkar Rihan Shabbir.
The Hindu reported that pirates had breached the citadel and broken into the engine room, where some other seafarers had taken cover.
Ram Praveen, brother of Murugan, said: “The pirates have kidnapped 10 officers. The other crew members were confined to a cabin and were threatened with execution if they attempted to leave. Additionally, the pirates looted personal belongings, including gold, mobile phones and a laptop.
“The next day, the company informed us. Since then, there has been no concrete update from the company regarding the whereabouts of the abducted crew.”
French shipowner Rubis Energie has not commented on the incident.
The 146-metre ship was en route to Douala in Cameroon from Lome in Togo.
The vessel headed to Gabon after the raid.
Ambrey Analytics said the ship was observed decreasing its speed from 9 knots to 0.6 knots in 20 minutes before the boarding.
Reports said five pirates had boarded the tanker.
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