Pirates hold 17 Indians hostage in hijacked ship

Chemical tanker MT Royal Grace was hijacked on March 2 after it set off from a Sharjah port for Nigeria apparently on its maiden voyage, according to media reports.

Talks are on for the release of 22 crew members including 17 Indians, taken hostage by Somalian pirates when they hijacked a Dubai-owned Nigeria-bound vessel last month.

Chemical tanker MT Royal Grace was hijacked on March 2 after it set off from a Sharjah port for Nigeria, according to media reports.

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Three Nigerians, one Pakistani and a Bangladeshi are also on board the MT Grace.

Reports say the families of the crew members were not informed by the ship owner about the hijacking. The families have now appealed to the ministry of external affairs to get the crew members released.