Pranab assures safe rescue of MT Stolt Valor crew

New Delhi, Oct 19 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday has assured Seema Goyal, wife of the captain of hijacked MT Stolt Valor, of safe rescue of people on the ship.

MT Stolt Valor, the Japanese vessel, carrying 18 Indian crew members, was hijacked off the Gulf of Aden almost a month ago.

Last night, Seema Goyal, wife of Captain Prabhat Goyal, and families of other crew members met Mukherjee.

After the meeting, they said Mukherjee had assured them that the government was in constant touch with the Japanese ship owners and putting pressure on them to ensure the safe release of crew members.

On Saturday, India had rushed its front line warship to the Gulf of Aden to protect Indian merchant vessels sailing in the high seas off the east African coast from armed pirates.

According to a Naval officer the Navy has already re-deployed a warship to the Gulf of Aden.

The warship, which was in the region, was asked to rush to the Gulf of Aden following government orders.

The re-deployed warship is likely to remain in the region near the Horn of Africa for a month.

ANI