External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday said that four Indians members of a shipping crew, who were in the custody of Nigerian authorities, have been released.
The release of the sailors, who were detained in August, was made possible by the Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria.
According to a Hindustan Times report two of the four captives had reached out to the EAM through Twitter seeking her intervention for their release. The report said that one of the captives, Viyas Yadav, had informed Swaraj they were detained by Nigerian authorities and kept in a Lagos jail for the past three months.
Swaraj on Saturday took to Twitter to thank the Indian High Commissioner.
"I am happy to inform that we have secured the return of Capt Atul Sharma, Sudhir Kumar, Balvinder Singh and Viyas Yadav to India. I appreciate the efforts of B N Reddy, Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria. We thank Nigerian authorities for their help," Swaraj tweeted.
I am happy to inform that we have secured the return of Capt.Atul Sharma, Sudhir Kumar, Balvinder Singh and Viyas Yadav to India. I appreciate the efforts of Shri B.N.Reddy Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria. We thank Nigerian authorities for their help. @india_nigeria
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 29, 2017
The crew were on board the commercial ship called "Sea Pearl" when they were detained by the Nigerian Navy, as the merchant vessel was involved in an earlier case pertaining to 2012.
Captain Sharma and Kumar belong to Himachal Pradesh.
