Families urge Indian government to rescue kidnapped seafarers

Seven Indian seafarers were kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Africa. This incident happened on March 17 when the ship, Bitu River, was attacked about 40 nautical miles from an island in São Tomé and Príncipe. Among the kidnapped are two engineers from Tamil Nadu, including Lakshmana Pradeep Murugan, who has worked with Maritec Tanker Management for over three years. The crew activated their emergency alarm and sought safety in a secure area called the citadel. Unfortunately, the pirates managed to break in and took control of the ship. The crew decided to surrender instead of risking further violence. Reports indicate that the pirates also threatened other crew members and stole personal belongings, including gold and electronics. The families of the kidnapped seafarers are now calling on the Indian government for help. They want the government to take action to ensure the safe rescue of their loved ones. Ram Praveen, Murugan's brother, expressed concern about the lack of updates from the company regarding rescue efforts. He hopes that authorities will provide concrete information on the situation soon.