New Delhi | Kochi native Sanu Jose, the chief officer of the ship who was taken into custody by the Navy in the West African country of Guinea, was brought back to the ship. Sanu Jose was arrested by the Navy of Guinea and taken to the Nigerian warship. Sanu Jose was brought back to the ship amid fears that he would be extradited to Nigeria. The 15 Indians on board were shifted to a hotel.
16 Indians, including 3 Malayalis, were among the 26 sailors who were detained. Vijit V Nair, one of the Malayalis in the group, had earlier informed that once the engine failure of the ship they were on was resolved, they could be taken to Nigeria at any time and their lives were becoming more and more in danger every second. Milan, a native of Kochi, is the third Malayali in the group.
After 3 months of incarceration, many of the group were incapacitated due to health problems and stress. The videos asking for rescue were also released yesterday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office called Vijith’s house yesterday and informed that efforts are being made to release the employees. Union Minister V Muraleedharan had also assured the family the other day. On August 8, the ship ‘MT Heroic Idun’ based in Norway arrived at the AKPO terminal in Nigeria to fill with crude oil. When a boat was seen approaching the ship, it was diverted to international shipping. The next day, Guinean Navy officials arrived and informed that the ship’s occupants had been arrested for violating the maritime boundary.