“Indian officials bringing back five Indian seafarers from MV ICEBERG-I who were rescued from captivity in Puntland, also extended a helping hand to two Pakistani seafarers. In a humanitarian gesture, the aircraft sent to bring back the Indians also brought along the Pakistani seafarers till Salalah in Oman, the last stop of the aircraft outside India,” the Spokesperson of the Indian External Affairs Ministry, Syed Akbaruddin said.

Seafarers from MV ICEBERG I rescued from captivity include seafarers from India, Pakistan, Yemen, Ghana, Sudan and Philippines.

The Pakistani authorities were informed through the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Sharat Sabharwal and requested to send their officials to take over their nationals at Salalah.

“Since no Pakistani Consulate is located in Salalah, a respected member of the Pakistani community there was entrusted the responsibility by Pakistani authorities to take charge of the two Pakistani seafarers,” Akbaruddin said.

The seafarers, who remained captive on board MV Iceberg I since March 2010, were rescued last Sunday by Somali Maritime Police following a 13-day battle against the pirates.

The vessel MV ICEBERG I owned by a Dubai-based firm, was heading to the United Kingdom when it was seized by the pirates.

Besides five Indians, the ill-fated ship had reportedly eight crew members from Yemen, four from Ghana, two each from Sudan and Pakistan and one was Filipino.