PTC Web Desk: Two commercial vessels carrying 22 Indian nationals were hijacked in separate incidents off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, a senior official from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said on Friday.

According to officials, the Indian crew members on both vessels are safe as of the latest available information.

Tanker hijacked in Gulf of Aden

The first incident involved MT Sibu 1, an Eritrea-flagged tanker carrying oil products. The vessel had 20 crew members on board, including 16 Indians, when armed pirates hijacked it in the Gulf of Aden on August 20.

The incident took place around 30 nautical miles from the Yemeni coast, the official said.

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Second vessel taken near Somalia

In a separate incident, a Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel was hijacked off the Puntland coast of Somalia on August 17.

The ship had 10 crew members, including six Indian nationals.

Indian crew members reportedly safe

Officials said the latest information indicates that all the Indian crew members involved in the two incidents are safe.

The two hijackings have raised fresh concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and seafarers operating in waters around Yemen and Somalia.