Nine Indian sailors of a merchant vessel who were held captive for several months by a local militia in Libya have been released, people familiar with the development said on Saturday. After their release on Wednesday, the Indian nationals reached the Libyan capital of Tripoli where they were received by the Indian Ambassador to Tunisia.
A Libyan rebel group has released nine Indian sailors it had detained in January near Libya’s Janzour area. The sailors were part of a crew on the ship MAYA 1, bearing a Cameroon flag, which was grounded near the said area after it experienced technical issues.
The ship, managed by the Greek company Redwings Shipping SA, was raided by a local armed group called Az Zawiya, based near Al Maya Port in Zawia city. The group eventually took the sailors’ crew into custody.
The successful release of these sailors is considered significant for the wider Indian community in Libya. After months in captivity, the sailors are now on their way to reunite with their families.
