2011-03-02 17:28

NEW DELHI - India has said that it's trying to secure release of six Indian sailors on board an Egyptian cargo ship hijacked last August in the Gulf of Aden by Somali pirates who have reportedly demanded a ransom of $4 million.

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Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said that the Director General of Shipping was pursuing all such cases of Indians being taken hostage by Somali pirates.

"Owner of MV Suez, owned by an Egyptian company, had promised to take action to free hostages but nothing was done. The DG Shipping continues his efforts," Rao wrote in "Twitter" late Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Indian TV channel Times Now reported that the Somali pirates on board the hijacked ship have demanded $4 million for the release of the Indian hostages and a week's deadline has been given in this regard.

"Our demand is ransom money. We want $4 million. Last time we called the company we demanded the ransom. He (owner) told us he did not want the ship or the crew. One week is the maximum time," one of the pirates told the channel.