New Delhi:
For the last several days, the crew of MV Suez who was released by Somali pirates, has been struggling to make it home. Finally, there will be some respite for the families that have been waiting for almost 10 months as the six Indians among the 22 sailors of MV Suez are expected to reach Karachi today.
A senior Indian High Commission official has been sent to Karachi to expedite the process of bringing the Indian sailors home.
The Pakistani naval ship, PNS Zulfiqar, carrying the sailors was supposed to reach Karachi earlier but was delayed due to bad weather in the region.
Earlier, a tug boat, sent to tow MV Suez to the Salalah port in Oman broke down. There were also reports that Suez, which ran out of fuel, might sink due to bad weather.
The sailors were then moved to Pakistani frigate PNS Babur and subsequently shifted to PNS Zulfiqar as Babur was a warship.
The Egyptian ship has six Indian sailors on board and was released by the Somali pirates recently. Besides the six Indians, there are five Pakistanis and a Sri Lankan among the crew.
The journey of MV Suez has been mired in controversy on who would escort them to safety. The Pakistani Navy did move in first with its frigate, the PNS Babur, and then India, belatedly moved in by sending its frigate, the INS Godavari.
But then, things seemed to get out of control. Pakistan alleged that INS Godavari, the Indian warship escorting MV Suez brushed with its frigate, alleging that the Indian Navy warship Godavari "not only hampered humanitarian operations being carried out by Pakistan Navy Ship Babur for Merchant Vessel Suez but also undertook dangerous manoeuvres, which resulted in the brushing of the sides" of the two warships.
New Delhi, however, strongly denied the allegations, claiming instead that it was the Pakistani warship which scraped past INS Godavari.