Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Sirius Star Captain: We are treated well and have spoken to our families | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat and Agencies, – The captain of the hijacked Saudi Sirius Star oil tanker has told Asharq Al-Awsat that the members of the crew are fine and are “being treated well under the present circumstances.”

Marek Nishky, a Polish national, spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat for the first time during a four-minute telephone conversation about the situation on board the oil tanker. He said, “I believe that there are ongoing negotiations. We do not have much information given the current circumstances…everybody is well and none of us are ill. We have enough to food and water and I hope there will be a happy ending to this story.”

In response to whether the hijackers had allowed the crew to speak to members of their families, Nishky said, “Yes we are allowed to speak to our families on the phone.” He refused to reveal the names of his wife and children.

“In light of the situation, things are not bad and we have nothing to complain about,” said Nishky. He explained that the crew consisted of 25 members.

President of Djibouti Ismail Omer Guellah held bilateral talks Saturday with his Yemeni counterpart, Abdullah Ali Saleh one day after the Yemeni President held talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi calling for coordination on tackling piracy. There were discussions on the future and developments of the Somali crisis. According to the Ethiopian News Agency, Zenawi accused Eritrea of helping Somali pirates and called for the international community to “do more” to tackle piracy.

Upon his return from Yemen, Meles Zenawi said, “By directly and conspicuously supporting extremists in Somalia and exacerbating its woes, Eritrea is responsible for the rampant piracy in the region.” “It is of utmost importance that the international community does more in tackling piracy in the Gulf of Aden,” he added.