Malayalees yet to be released from ship hijacked by Iran

KOZHIKODE: A number of Malayalees are yet to be freed from the ship that was hijacked by Iran a month ago. A week ago, the media had reported that all Malayalis onboard the ship were freed. However, some of the Malayali crewmembers trapped on the ship called their relatives on the phone and told them that the report was not fully true.

Kozhikode Velliparamba native TP Shyamnath, Wayanad Kattikkuam native PV Dhanesh and Palakkad Keralassery native Sumesh are still there on the ship.

'My son called yesterday as well. He said that there was no information about the release. However, he said that they are safe. I don't know whom to contact now. With whom should I lodge a complaint?" Shyamnath's father Viswanathan asks.

Iran hijacked the MSC Aries ship on April 13 in the background of the Iran-Israel conflict. There were several Indians, including Malayalis, onboard the ship. Among them, only a woman named Ann Tessa Joseph has returned home so far. The Malayalis trapped on the ship are employees of the Mediterranean Shipping Company.