Team Blitz India
KOCHI: Nigeria has finally released a crew of 16 Indian sailors who were detained in Equatorial Guinea for allegedly operating on Nigerian waters and attempting to export crude oil without clearance.
After a months-long legal battle, the Nigerian court dropped all charges against them.
Of the 16 Indians, three were from Kerala. Kochi natives Chief Officer Captain Sanu Jose, Milton De Coth and Kollam native V Vijith were the Keralites. Vijith is the brother of Vismaya who died by suicide following a dowry harassment case.
According to a statement released by the sailors earlier, the Norwegian-flagged MT Heroic Idun “was arrested by the Equatorial Guinea naval ship in international waters on 12th August 2022”.
The vessel had a total crew of 26 persons – 16 Indians, 8 Sri Lankans, 1 Polish and 1 Filipino national onboard, the statement carried by newspapers here said on May 29.
