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New Delhi said 22 Indian sailors are among seafarers onboard two ships seized by gunmen in the Gulf of Aden this week.
India's foreign ministry confirmed the details on Friday, adding that all crew members are reportedly safe.
How many Indians are on the two hijacked vessels?
Two foreign-flagged vessels were involved in the hijackings, one carrying 16 Indian nationals and the other carrying six.
Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the figures to reporters on Friday. India did not give details about crew members from other nations aboard the vessels.
What happened to the Seamull tanker?
The Seamull tanker, also known as SIBU 1, carried 16 Indian sailors and issued a distress call in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday. Gunmen boarded the vessel and forced it to change course towards Somalia. The United States sanctioned the Seamull in December last year, naming it among vessels in Iran's "shadow fleet" accused of exporting Iranian oil through deceptive shipping practices.
What happened to the Lutuf cargo ship?
The Cameroon-flagged cargo ship Lutuf, carrying six Indians, was hijacked on Monday by eight gunmen. The attackers launched their assault from a separate vessel, the MV Sward, which they had seized in April. Jaiswal said Indian authorities remain in touch with relevant officials over both incidents.
Are Somali pirates still active in the Gulf of Aden?
Piracy off the coast of Somalia was rampant in the 2000s and peaked in 2011, before international naval deployments and new commercial shipping security measures curbed attacks. India remains one of the largest contributors of sailors to merchant shipping worldwide, with more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, according to its shipping ministry. The latest hijackings mark a resurgence of concern over piracy near the Horn of Africa.
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