Families Of 10 Kidnapped Seafarers Urge Governments To Secure Their Release

Ten crew members, including seven Indians and three Romanians, were kidnapped by armed pirates who attacked the Panama-flagged tanker Bitu River on March 17, 2025, off the coast of São Tomé and Príncipe.

The families of the missing crew have now made a public appeal for immediate intervention by the Indian and Romanian governments, seeking urgent actions for their safe return.

Per reports, the 16,500 dwt tanker, managed by Maritec Tanker Management and operated by Rubis Asphalt, was travelling from Lome, Togo, to Douala, Cameroon, when pirates struck at around 7:45 p.m.

The vessel was about 40nm southeast of Santo Antonio do Principe when heavily armed attackers boarded the vessel. Crew members activated emergency alarms and sought refuge, some in the ship’s citadel and others in the engine room.

However, the pirates managed to force their way in. Per reports, gunfire was heard during the attack.

At around 11:30 p.m., communication with the crew was lost, and soon after, the pirates abducted 10 seafarers. The remaining crew members were locked inside a cabin and warned of execution if they tried to leave.

Among the kidnapped Indians are Lakshmana Pradeep Muruga from Tamil Nadu, who has been serving as a second officer with Maritec Tanker Management for over three years.

Others include Asif Ali from Minicoy, Sandeep Kumar Singh from Bihar, Sathish Kumar Selvaraj from Karur, Mirka Sameen Javeed, Rajeendran Bhargavan from Kerela, and Solkar Rihan Shabbir from Maharashtra.

The names of the Romanian crew members have not been disclosed.

A relative of one of the abducted crew members revealed that the company informed families the next day about the incident, stating that the seafarers were unharmed.

However, no concrete updates have been shared since, leaving families in distress.

Another family member mentioned that the pirates looted valuables, including gold, mobile phones, and a laptop before leaving the vessel.

Maritime security sources reported that the ship’s speed reduced drastically from 9 knots to 0.6 knots within 20 minutes before the attack.

After the incident, the vessel proceeded to Libreville, Gabon, and is currently anchored at Owendo Anchorage.

The Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade-Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) recorded the attack on March 18. No further details were provided apart from confirming that the pirates eventually abandoned the vessel.

French shipowner Rubis Energie, which owns the vessel, has not commented on the incident.

The families of the crew members are urging the Indian and Romanian governments to intervene diplomatically and take immediate steps. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding rescue efforts.

Reference: The Hindu