Mogadishu: Eleven Indian crew members of a ship hijacked nearly a year ago by Somali pirates have been freed.
The pirates captured the ship, named MV Rak Afrikana, near Seychelles on April 11 last year. They took 23 crew members hostage.
Indian authorities said that the freed crew were safe aboard a Spanish naval ship which was bringing them back.
A total of 79 Indians on seven ships are still being held hostage by pirates, officials say.
Negotiations are in progress to release another six Indians aboard another hijacked ship, MV Suez, reports say.
It is not clear whether any ransom was paid to free the Indian crew members from MV Rak Afrikana.
India’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says the ruling Congress party-led government is not doing enough to secure the release of Indians taken hostage by Somali pirates.
Foreign Minister SM Krishna said the government was doing “everything possible” to secure their release. He added that 136 of 215 Indians taken hostage by the pirates over the last year had already been freed.
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