Seema gets Pranab’s assurance

Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 11:10 am

It has been over a month since 18 Indians sailors onboard the Hijacked MT Stolt Valor have been in captivity and there’s still no news of those onboard the hijacked ship, even as the government says negotiations are underway.

Back home families of the Indian sailors held hostage are making desperate pleas to the government to ensure the sailors’ safety. Reacting to these pleas from families was External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who has assured the families of sailors onboard that their loved ones will be rescued.

Seema Goyal, wife of Captain Prabhat Goyal, captain of hijacked ship said that she has got an assurance from Pranab Mukherjee, that the crew onboard MT Stolt Valor will be rescued. Seema along with families of other crew members met Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Saturday (October 18) night.

Mukherjee informed the families that the government is in touch with the ship owners on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, India has already sent a naval warship to patrol the route followed by Indian ships near the Somalian coast. The ransom deadline set by the Somalian pirates expired on Thursday and ever since the families of the crew have grown anxious.

But Seema Goyal has been relentlessly going after the government to step up the rescue effort. After meeting the External Affairs Minister, Seema said, “The meeting was very fruitful and I really felt good after talking to him (Pranab Mukherjee). Yes now something will be done from the government’s side. He has assured us that he will talk to the Japanese owners and pressurise them to the maximum. He also assured us that the crew members will be rescued eventually.”

For Seema Goyal and other family members of the crew trapped onboard the Stolt Valor, a meeting with the External Affairs Minister has perhaps given them some hope or maybe just a reassurance that the government is indeed moving ahead to seek the release of the sailors.

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Seema gets Pranab’s assurance

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