The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the Kingdom of Jordan have strongly condemned the hijacking of an oil tanker from international waters off Yemen, reportedly carrying Egyptian sailors, and diverting it to Somali waters.
The three countries said in a statement issued by their Foreign Ministries that the incident was a clear violation of international law and posed a serious threat to maritime security and international trade.
They also expressed their full support for the Egyptian Government and the families of the kidnapped sailors, stressing the importance of ensuring their immediate safety and release.
Meanwhile, they called for strengthening international efforts to combat piracy and organized crime in strategic maritime routes.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has previously said that it is closely monitoring the situation of the M/T Eureka, which was hijacked in Yemeni waters and is being held off the coast of Somalia.
Similarly, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Dr. Badr Abdel Aaty, directed the Egyptian Embassy in Mogadishu to closely monitor the situation of the eight Egyptian sailors, and to provide all support and efforts to secure their release, while contacting Somali authorities to ensure the safety of the ship’s crew.