Ship Hijacked Off Somalia Coast - Mangalorean Kiran D'Souza on-Board
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MM/SP)
Mangalore, Aug 22: A total of 24 people including three Indians (a Mangalorean, Goan and Maharastrian each) were kidnapped, as pirates took over their cargo ship in Somalia on Thursday August 21.
The lone Mangalorean in question, has been identified as Jeevan Kiran D’Souza, resident of Kayyar. He is the son of Ligoury D'Souza of Kasargod ward of Kayyar parish. He was serving as a seaman in the ship.
The ship ‘Iran Deynat’ was sailing towards Somalia carrying cargo from Poland. A total of three Indians were working in the ship when it was hijacked, sources said. The other two are identified as Akbar from Ratnagiri and Anthony from Goa.
The ship crew got the inkling that their ship would be targetted by the pirates, just half an hour before the hijack. The crew immediately changed the course of the ship to avert the hijack. However, the ship could not sail fast enough, as the sea was rough and about 15 gunmen gained entry into the ship.
Sources added that communicating with the hijackers has been rendered difficult, as the hijackers are unable to understand English. The authorities could not even be able to track the place to which the hijackers have been taking the ship along.