From the grip of Somali pirates

Jisha Surya
First Published : 17 Mar 2011

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: At 20, Vishnu is sure that he won’t go through an experience comparable to what he encountered during the past 11 months on board MV Rak Africana. The marine engineering student from Kudappanakkunnu had led a bizarre life as the hostage of the dreaded Somali pirates for 338 days.
 On Wednesday, when he was back home, it was almost like a dream - a nightmare which he did not want to recount. “I really don’t wish to reveal things in front of my parents,” Vishnu said at first while taking rest in his house.
 Vishnu and the other 24 crew members were released after the shipping company paid the ransom amount to the pirates last week.
 “We were a group of 26 crew. We were left with the fate to see one of the crew dying in front of us. Our cook, a fifty-year-old Tunisian, died after he was down with some disease. He died in front of us, whom he had fed for two years. It was such a shock to see someone close dying in front of you and you having to watch it helplessly. We buried him at sea,” Vishnu said in a trembling voice.
 Though Vishnu termed the pirates as brutal criminals, he denied physical torture from their part. “How can I explain? They were treating us just like hostages, but there wasn’t any physical torture. But they were experts in scaring us. They would do something to make us afraid. After spending such a long time as captives, most of us were shattered mentally,” Vishnu said.
 The eight marine engineering students, including Rogi from Pathanamthitta, stood together during the crisis. “The entire crew, especially the captain, never let us down. I never lost hope and used to pray every time,” Vishnu said. He was literally counting the days by writing on a board.
 Vishnu feels rescuing hostages by attacking the pirates is not possible. “They are armed with the most-modern weapons and are ready to do any brutal act,” he said.
 “Also, they use some of the hijacked ships as mother vessel to attack other vessels, which makes it difficult for the Navy to identify them,” he added.
 Vishnu and others heard a gunshot while their ship MV Rak Africana was sailing through Seychelles on April 10, 2010. “We suddenly realised that it was the pirates. We frantically ran while they climbed up a wooden ladder to the ship. It was a group of just 12 or something. They had AK-47s and other weapons,” Vishnu said.
 “The remaining days were a nightmare. The pirates used to threaten us. They were just like animals, living in dirty surroundings. The ship was anchored almost two miles from the shore. They would arrive every day in boats. They would bring rice, onions etc. We would have to do the cooking. They ate something called Mira, a grass-like food. We had nothing to do. We slept and slept in the daytime and finally we became sleepless,” Vishnu said.
 Vishnu is thankful to the Dubai-based shipping company RAK Training Ship Sindbad which saved them by paying the ransom amount. He said the company asked them to continue with the training. When asked whether he was ready to go onboard again, he said, “Right now, I don’t know what to do. But I think I will complete the training. I am ready to go anywhere except pirate-infested places,” he said.
 After the company paid the ransom amount, a ship of the Indian Navy reached a place and rescued them. Vishnu, along with Rogi from Pathanamthitta, reached Thiruvananthapuram airport at 12:45 pm on Wednesday. Parents of both Vishnu and Rogi were present to receive them.
 jisha@expressbuzz.com