New Delhi: Pirates today freed an oil tanker with 22 Indians on board that they had hijacked in West Africa on February 1.
The Panamanian-flagged vessel, called “Marine Express”, was earlier reported missing off the Benin coast in the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. The vessel is owned by Ocean Transit Carrier SA, a Japanese company. The 22 sailors were appointed on the ship by Anglo-Eastern Shipping, a Hong Kong firm.
Minster of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj tweets, “I am happy to inform that Merchant Ship Marine Express with 22 Indian nationals on board has been released”.