Fear and uncertainty He continues To control the families of the eight Egyptian sailors who were kidnapped after an oil tanker was hijacked off the Yemeni coast and forced into Somali waters on May 2, creating a threat to maritime security and the safety of international trade routes.
Among the sailors, identified by their relatives, are engineers, mechanics, officers and support staff from various parts of Egypt who left their homeland to seek work at sea.
It was the sailors On board The oil tanker M/T Eureka, which was reportedly intercepted by armed pirates while traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Yemen. According to relatives of the crew He was The ship was held hostage for several days after the ship was diverted towards the Somali region of Puntland.
However, for the sailors’ families waiting in Egypt, the phone calls and letters turned into tragedy flow Because of the threats of Somali pirates.
“We have been kidnapped. There is no food or water, and we are surrounded by armed men. Please help spread awareness about our situation on social media,” one sailor said. He said In a WhatsApp message.
Ahmed Radi, his brother, is among the kidnapped crew members He said The family last heard from him a few days ago. He described frightening messages warning sailors that negotiations had stalled and that their situation was becoming increasingly dangerous.
according to RelativesThe Somali kidnappers demanded a ransom of $3.5 million (185 million Egyptian pounds) and threatened the crew’s lives if the talks failed.
Another family member accused The shipping company failed to act quickly enough to secure the sailors’ release, saying the men were left alone in a life-threatening situation. The families directly appealed to the Egyptian government, international maritime organizations, and naval forces operating in the region to intervene before the crisis worsens.
Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs He says It is closely monitoring developments and coordinating with the Somali authorities. Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati assigned the Egyptian embassy in Mogadishu to follow up on the case and support the crew.
United Arab Emirates condemned She expressed her solidarity with Egypt and the families of the kidnapped sailors, calling for stronger international cooperation to combat piracy and protect maritime workers.
The incident revived concerns about piracy in the Gulf of Aden and nearby shipping lanes, areas critical to global trade but which have seen renewed instability in recent months.