The seven Indian crew members onboard the Italian flagged Enrico Levoli arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday. Hijacked by Somali pirates in December 2011, the ship was released last week after the ransom amount was handed over to the captors.
The tanker’s crew of 18 — including six Italian, five Ukranian and seven Indians — was released on April 25. The seven Indians finally arrived at Mumbai’s international airport at 6 am on Tuesday, and were felicitated by officials of the Directorate-General of Shipping and members of the seafarers’ unions. Of the seven, four are from Gujarat, two from Mangalore and one from Maharashtra.
“We also held a debriefing session with them to improve our understanding of their situation,” said Satish Agnihotri, DG Shipping.
Shantilal Solanki, 52, the fitter on the Enrico Levoli, said he would first buy laptops for his daughters that the pirates took from him. “I had bought two laptops for my daughters but the pirates took them away. The only thing I could save is the holy rudraksha rosary,” Mr Solanki said.
Mr Solanki said he was allowed to talk with his family in Gujarat only seven times in the four months. “We were not tortured, as the ship owner started negotiations within four days of the hijacking,” he said.
However, Abdulgani Serang, secretary and treasurer, National Union of Seafarers of India, said there is a sense of frustration among sailors. “It is good that the sailors came back safe, but there are many others out there who are still hostage. The seafarers feel they have been reduced to mere statistics,” he said.