16 Indian Soldiers Detained In Eq. Guinea For Over 85 Days, MEA Says Making All Efforts To Secure Early Release

A video of the sailors seeking the government of India’s help to secure their release went viral on social media earlier this week.

Latest Issue

Manipur
Manipur: The Burden Of Riots On Women And Children

The worst affected by the violent clashes in Manipur are women and children who now face an uncertain future

Rakhi Bose
Political Discourse
Karnataka Polls Show The Shifting Terrain Of Politics

The outcome of the elections of 2024, after Karnataka, can certainly be steered in this direction. Much will depend on how far the Opposition can raise people’s livelihood-related issues in tandem with a different political narrative.

Aditya Nigam
Karnataka Elections
Congress's Win In Karnataka Is A Morale Booster Ahead Of Lok Sabha Polls

A victory in Karnataka may aid the Congress party in its efforts to form an Opposition front for the 2024 parliamentary elections

Chandan Gowda
Manipur Violence: Lynchings, Villages Burnt, Lives Disrupted. But Where Was The State?

The ethnic violence in Manipur has widened the divide between the Meitei and the Kuki communities. But one question haunts everyone: where was the government?

Rakhi Bose
Opinion
Karnataka Elections: BJP Fell To Anti-Incumbency But Congress Kept To Local Issues

While the Congress remained singularly focused on the target right from the start, the BJP was busy digging its own grave, hurtling from one misadventure to another.

M Gautham Machaiah

Outlook Web Desk

More from Outlook Web Desk

View All

Updated: 10 Nov 2022 8:35 pm

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said all possible consular assistance will be provided to the 16 Indian sailors in detention in Equatorial Guinea and that it was making all efforts for an early resolution of the matter.

A video of the sailors seeking the government of India’s help to secure their release went viral on social media earlier this week. They have allegedly been detained for over 85 days now by the Guinean navy.

16 Indian sailors, member of 26 member crew of a ship detained and held captive in Equatorial Guinea on suspicion of oil theft plead to Indian government for their release. They have been in detention since mid August 2022. pic.twitter.com/1N93s7cP31
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) November 9, 2022

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the ministry is aware of the case and at least 16 Indian sailors from a ship, which also has people of other nationalities, are detained.

He, however, refused to comment on the nature of the charges against them or the legal processes involved.

"Our missions are in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and in Abuja in Nigeria. Both these missions are closely engaged with their respective local authorities in this case. We are also in touch with the detained sailors. We have had several rounds of consular access to these sailors," he said at a media briefing.

"Our missions in Eq Guinea, Nigeria in touch with local authorities.." says MEA Spox @abagchimea on 16 Indian sailors in custody pic.twitter.com/s60j7krTHp
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) November 10, 2022

"We are making all efforts for the early resolution of this issue. Our Charge d'affaires in Malabo told me that the soldiers are still in Equatorial Guinea. We saw some reports that Nigeria has asked for them to be sent over... but they appear to be in Equatorial Guinea right now," he said.

The missions are in touch with authorities in both countries to find a resolution to this issue, Bagchi said.

"I would not like to comment on the charges or the legal processes. We will extend all possible consular assistance we can to these individuals," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)