Pradhan compliments Jaishankar for securing release of Odia seafarer

Surjit Kumar Dhal Bhubaneswar, June 30: Union Steel & Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday complimented External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar for securing the release of an Odia seafarer Sudeep Chaudhary, held hostage with four other sailors by pirates in Nigeria.

Jaishankar had tweeted on Friday about the release.

“Appreciate the help of Nigerian authorities, @shipmin_india, our team @india_nigeria & all other stakeholders who have contributed to the release of the seafarers. They are being brought to Port Harcourt under Nigerian police escort and our HC will safely repatriate them to India,” wrote Jaishankar on his twitter handle.

The release of five Indian sailors came after intervention of Ministry of Foreign Affairs into the matter.

 “Thank EAM @DrSJaishankar ji, MoS Shipping Sh. @mansukhmandviya, @india_nigeria and all stakeholders for their efforts in securing the release of 5 Indian seafarers including that of Sh. Sudeep Chowdhary from Odisha who was amongst our citizens kidnapped by pirates in Nigeria,” Pradhan tweeted on Saturday.

Notably, Sudeep, a sailor 3rd Officer on the vessel ‘MT Apecus’ was kidnapped along with Ankit Hooda, Chirag Yadav, Avinash Reddy and Moogu Ravi by the pirates from vessel in the outer achorage off Bonny Island, Nigeria, on April 19.