New Delhi : Time is running out for Indian sailors on the hijacked ship Stolt valor. Somali pirates have threatened to kill them if the ransom money isn't paid within the next 48 hours.
And for Seema Goel, wife of one of the captains of that ship all hopes are pinned on Sonia Gandhi she's meeting the congress president to plead for help.
“Sonia Gandhi being a lady herself can understand what I am undergoing. She has such an esteemed position. Definitely she will work out something if not on an official basis then personally talk to Japanese owners and Japanese embassy and ask them to expidite the mission,” says Seema Goel.
Seema did receive a call from one of the crew members on Tuesday. “He said that they have an ultimatum of 48 hours. you can make all arrangements in that time, it could be a pressure tactic but I don’t trust the hijackers because they are inhumane.They could be nasty, they could do anything. I hope they don’t try any stunts with anybody, that’s what I look forward to.” adds Seema.
The high-profile case of the tank ship has put the spotlight on the Somali authorities, particularly in Puntland where most of the pirates are based.
Piracy has surged this year, with over 30 ships seized, as gunmen look to cash in on increasingly large ransoms. Security forces now appear to be taking a tougher line.
The UN has authorized the use of force when dealing with pirates and the EU, NATO and other nations have agreed to send frigates to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden.
Comments
0 comment