The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has informed that Indian authorities are trying to locate an oil vessel with 22 Indians aboard, which had gone missing off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea on Thursday.
Confirming the news of missing ship, MEA Ravish Kumar tweeted: "A merchant vessel Marine Express (oil tanker), owned by Mumbai-based Anglo-Eastern shipping company with 22 Indian nationals onboard, is presumably missing off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea."
He informed that the Indian authorities based in Nigeria have sought their help in locating the missing oil tanker.
"Our Mission in Abuja (Nigeria) is in touch with the authorities in Benin and Nigeria for their help in locating the ship and is constantly monitoring the situation.
A 24-hour helpline number set up by the Embassy for information on those missing is +234-9070343860," he informed in another tweet.
According to reports, the tanker vessel was carrying approximately $8.1 million in gasoline when went off the grid near the West African country, Benin. The vessel, MT Marine Express, is the second ship to have gone missing in as many months in this region. It is suspected that Marine Express might have fallen prey to hijackers or pirates, just like the ship that disappeared last month.
The owners of the tanker have urged the Directorate General of Shipping in Mumbai to get in touch with their counterparts in Nigeria and Benin to carry out search operations for the merchant ship.
Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities have alerted all boats to look out for the missing tanker ship and if sighted to report to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Anti-Piracy Reporting Centre immediately in London.
