Foreign Ministry: Four Indonesian Crew Members Hijacked on Ship in Somalia in Good Condition

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) states that four Indonesian crew members who were victims of the hijacking of the MT Honour 25 ship in Somalia are in good condition, and the handling of the case is still ongoing. “Based on information obtained by the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi from authorities in Somalia, so far the Indonesian crew members on that ship are in good condition,” said Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens at Kemlu RI, Heni Hamidah, during a media briefing in Jakarta on Thursday (30/4). Heni said that her side, through the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Nairobi, continues to intensively coordinate with various parties in Somalia regarding the hijacking of the MT Honour 25 ship on 22 April in the waters around Hafun. According to her, the handling involves local authorities, community figures, and related business actors, while prioritising the safety of the Indonesian crew members. The ship is crewed by four Indonesian crew members, 10 Pakistani crew members, and one each from India and Myanmar. Kemlu RI is also strengthening coordination with relevant parties domestically to prevent similar incidents. “Especially strengthening data on Indonesian crew members working abroad because this data collection is very important when something happens to those Indonesian crew members,” Heni stated. She added that the government continues to optimise bilateral, regional, and multilateral cooperation. In addition, Indonesian crew members are encouraged to work through official procedures to reduce risks when working abroad. Previously, on 26 April, the victims’ families asked the Indonesian government and President Prabowo Subianto to immediately take steps to ensure the safety of the crew members. The four Indonesian crew members hail from South Sulawesi, West Java, and Central Java.