ALBAWABA - Eight Egyptian sailors were kidnapped by Somali pirates from an oil tanker in Yemeni territorial waters, as the kidnappers asked for a $3 million ransom to let the ship crew go.
On May 11, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the abduction of eight Egyptian sailors, part of the crew of the oil tanker M/T Eureka, in Yemeni territorial waters. The tanker was seized off the Somali coast.
The armed group that hijacked the ship initially demanded a ransom of $3 million, before later raising it to $10 million, indicating that the situation on board the ship had become unsettling for the hostages.
First video of kidnapped Egyptian sailors:
A video of the kidnapped crew members of the Egyptian oil tanker that was leaked on social media has sparked widespread panic and shock among their families.
The video reveals that the crew of the hijacked ship has been subjected to severe psychological and physical intimidation by the gunmen. The sailors appear with their hands bound and eyes blindfolded, amidst heavy gunfire in their vicinity. Family sources described this as a brutal pressure tactic employed by the kidnappers to force the families and relevant authorities to expedite the payment of the demanded ransom.
The video conveyed the severe deterioration and extreme exhaustion evident in the crew members' faces, a consequence of the harsh conditions of their detention for weeks, as well as the critical shortage of food and drinking water on board the ship.
For his part, Ali Abdi Awari, the Somali ambassador to Egypt and permanent representative to the League of Arab States, affirmed that the Somali government is continuing its intensive efforts and contacts to expedite the release of the kidnapped Egyptian sailors aboard the oil tanker. He noted that there is ongoing coordination and action at various levels to ensure their safety and return as soon as possible.
Were the Egyptian sailors freed?
Accounts circulated a photo showing a group of fully armed Egyptian soldiers raising the Egyptian flag, accompanied by several people in civilian clothes, with a military cargo plane behind them. The accompanying caption read: "All praise to the Egyptian hawks! The eight sailors have returned home safely, God willing... May God protect our Egyptian Armed Forces."
Annahar analized the image and clarified that it is an edited image. The newspaper reported that after revising, the image search revealed the report to be false. Furthermore, visual and technical examination of the image showed it to be fabricated.
Firstly, the Egyptian Armed Forces have not issued any statement regarding the release of the eight kidnapped sailors near the Somali coast.
