Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday urged the Centre to take all possible efforts to secure the release of Indian nationals including four Keralites on board a British-flagged oil tanker seized by the Gulf country in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, he asked the ministry to share the details of the persons aboard the ship so that their families could be helped.
"I request that all possible efforts to ensure the safety of the crew be made and the relevant details of persons may be shared with the state government so that their family members can be contacted and we can be of help in their hour of crisis," Vijayan said in the letter, the copy of which was released to the media here.
Congress MP Hibi Eden, representing Ernakulam constituency, also sought urgent intervention of the Central government for release of the Indian nationals.
Eden visited the family of Dijo Pappachan, a crew member on board the seized tanker, here.
Family of Pappachan hailingfrom Kalamassery here said the tanker owners have informed them that Dijo was onboard the seized oil tanker.
Asked about the reports that two more people from Ernakulam district were among the crew, Eden said there was no official information so far.
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan had said on Saturday diplomatic efforts were on to secure the release of Indian nationals on board the tanker.