Pirates kidnap 9 crew members of Norwegian vessel in West Africa waters

Speaking during the weekly press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India opposes attacks on merchant shipping "from any quarters" and confirmed that several Indian nationals have been affected in recent incidents.

In her statement, Bhat said new pathways to empowerment are emerging across the Union Territory, supported by government initiatives and community participation.

"There have been maritime incidents involving Indian crew on foreign-flagged vessels. Of these vessels, there were 78 Indian seafarers. Of these, 70 are unhurt and escaped. Four sustained injuries over the last few days, but are stable. Unfortunately, there have been three casualties, and one seafarer is missing," he said.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned a drone strike on the commercial vessel Arctic Metagaz in the Mediterranean. Calling it "a terrorist attack & a war crime," she detailed the crew's rescue after a gas explosion, criticised Malta's refusal to assist the injured, and denounced the European silence.

The tanker reportedly switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder while navigating the high-risk stretch of the strait.