Nine Indians Held Captive in Libya for Several Months Released

Nine Indian nationals, held captive in Libya for several months, have been freed by their captors, announced Indian Ambassador to Tunisia Ngulkham Jathom Gangte. The release was secured with the help of the principal of the Indian school in Benghazi, Tabassum Mansoor.

Nine Indians who were held captive in Libya for several months were freed by their captors this week, people from the external affairs ministry familiar with the developments said.

Of these nine Indians, five are from Uttar Pradesh, and the rest of them are from Rajasthan, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.

The news of the Indians being held captive reached the Indian embassy in Tunis mid-February. They told the mission that they were aboard merchant vessel MT Maya 1 where they were working. MT Maya 1 broke down near Libyan coast and they were held captive by local militia.

MT Maya 1 is owned by a Greek company and carried the flag of Cameroon and was sailing from Malta to Tripoli carrying oil products.

People familiar with the developments said that the mission immediately took up the matter with the Libyan authorities.

They sought consular access and took steps to ensure their safety and repatriate them to India as early as possible.

People familiar with the developments highlighted that an informal contact of the mission met those held captive almost every week thereafter to ensure their early release and helped make provision of essential food items.

Meanwhile, the mission continued to follow up the matter with concerned authorities in Libya.

The external affairs ministry and the mission kept the family members of the Indian nationals posted regularly regarding the developments in the case

The ambassador to Tunisia Ngulkham Jathom Gangte received all of them on Wednesday after their release. They are currently being kept in a hotel as they await the completion of their exit visa formalities.