Egypt has stepped up diplomatic efforts to secure the release of eight Egyptian sailors being held aboard the hijacked cargo vessel MT Eureka off the Somali coast, the Foreign Ministry said on 30 June.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has instructed officials to monitor the situation daily as efforts continue to ensure the crew’s safe return, according to local reports. The ministry added that Egypt’s embassy in Mogadishu is coordinating with Somali authorities and other relevant parties to support the sailors’ release and ensure their safety.
The embassy has also facilitated communication between the crew and their families.
Furthermore, the ministry noted that Egypt’s embassy in Riyadh, which is accredited to Yemen, had been tasked with coordinating with Yemeni authorities and the vessel’s owner to support ongoing efforts to secure the sailors’ release.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s consular sector remains in regular contact with the sailors’ families, providing updates on developments. The diplomatic push comes after negotiations with the hijackers reportedly broke down.
Captain El-Sayed El-Shazly El-Naggar, head of Egypt’s Maritime Officers Syndicate and liaison officer with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), said last week that talks had returned “to square one” after the pirates demanded a higher ransom.
Source: Safety4sea
Robban Assafina is now on WhatsApp channel. Click Here
