In a statement carried by Al-Masry Al-Youm on Tuesday, El-Shazly said the situation had returned to its previous state. He confirmed that all crew members aboard the hijacked vessel are safe and that some of them have contacted their families to reassure them.
He added that the pirates had again demanded a higher ransom, reviving fears among the kidnapped sailors and their families after the settlement attempt collapsed.
El-Shazly stressed that the union appreciates the intensive efforts of Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has been pressing Somali authorities to make every possible effort to contain the situation and resolve the crisis.
According to Al-Masry Al-Youm, the brother of one of the sailors said the pirates held an online meeting with the ship's owner to negotiate a ransom. An agreement was reportedly reached on a payment of $2 million and a method for transferring the money.
However, the pirates later backed out of the agreement and did not follow the agreed procedures.
The incident dates back to early May, when the oil tanker M/T Eureka was seized in waters near Yemen and taken toward Somali territorial waters near Puntland.
According to Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, the vessel's tracking signal reappeared after the seizure, showing it off the coast near Bayla (Bandar Beyla) after passing Bosaso in Somalia's Puntland region.
In response, Egypt's foreign ministry affirmed that it is closely monitoring the situation and that efforts are underway to secure the sailors' release and ensure their safety.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty instructed the Egyptian embassy in Mogadishu to monitor developments related to the sailors and provide them with the necessary support and assistance.
The ministry added that Egyptian authorities are maintaining high-level contacts with Somali authorities to ensure the safety of the Egyptian crew members and work toward their swift release.
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