All the crew members are safe, the Indian Embassy in Equatorial Guinea has said

The Indian Embassy in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea and the High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria are closely working with the authorities of both countries for the early release of crew members of MV Heroic Idun.

According to available information, 16 Indian nationals are among the crew members of the merchant vessel who have been detained since the middle of August this year.

On Monday, the Indian Embassy in Equatorial Guinea said that it is in regular contact with crew members of MV Heroic Idun. It added that "all crew members are safe".

"Since their detention in mid August, this Mission has been in regular contact with the crew members over phone. We have also had several consular access / visits to them. We are closely monitoring developments and are actively engaged for an early resolution of the issue," the embassy tweeted in reply to a letter posted on Twitter by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) AA Rahim.

"This Embassy and our High Commission in Abuja are closely working with authorities of Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria for the early release of crew members of MV Heroic Idun. All crew members are safe and those in the Detention Centre have been shifted to the ship," it added.

The Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala had shared a letter addressed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday, seeking his intervention to ensure the safe return of the crew members who have been detained "allegedly without clear cause".

According to available information, which has also been cited by the MP in his letter, the ship which was scheduled to pick up a shipment of oil from Nigeria was approached by an unknown and unidentified vessel claiming to be from the Nigerian Navy.

Fearing piracy, the merchant vessel moved away into international waters. It is alleged that the vessel was intercepted and the crew members were detained by Equatorial Guinea's Navy from international waters.

Authorities in Equatorial Guinea conducted an investigation and reportedly assured them that they would be released after the ship owners paid a hefty fine. They crew members, however, continue to remain under detention.

"Now it is alleged that the crew are to be handed over to Nigerian authorities. This has caused further distress and panic among the crew. They are now in fear for their safety," the MP wrote in his letter.