After 151 Days of Abduction.. Egyptian Sailors Describe Days of Terror

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After nearly five months of detention and waiting, the Egyptian sailors who were kidnapped breathed a sigh of relief as the procedures for their return to Egypt began, following the efforts of the Egyptian state to follow up on their case and work on bringing them back to their homeland.

The Egyptian sailors spoke about the details of the difficult days they lived during the kidnapping period, recounting the harsh conditions and constant anxiety they experienced throughout their detention, before their suffering ended with their return to Egypt and reunion with their families.

The sailors narrated some details of the kidnapping journey, the conditions they lived in during their detention, and the moments leading up to their release and the start of their journey back to Cairo, confirming that reaching their homeland represented the end of the toughest period they had ever experienced.

In this context, Samah Abdel Azim, one of the Egyptian sailors who was held on the ship, said in exclusive statements to "Al Arabiya.net" and "Al Hadath.net" on Sunday: "It was an extremely difficult time; we only saw scenes resembling horror movies. We spent 151 days at sea, weapons were everywhere, and we constantly heard gunfire, to the point where we felt that we would never return and that our lives had come to an end."

Regarding the details of the kidnapping, Abdel Azim said: "We were working on the ship normally, and suddenly we were kidnapped, and we did not know the reasons for what happened. It was an extremely difficult experience for us and our families, especially with the lack of food and drink, in addition to the insults and threats, and we sometimes woke up to the sounds of gunfire from the pirates who were seeking money."]

Abdel Azim also spoke about the details of their liberation, adding: "After we learned of our release, we descended from the mountain, and the special security forces in Somalia intervened with the pirates, but we did not know what was happening, until we received the surprising news that we were free, and that we would be informed about returning to our homeland," confirming: "At first, we did not believe that it was really over."

He expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by Egyptian officials to intervene for the release of the sailors and secure their return to their homeland, confirming that returning to Egypt and meeting their families was the most they wished for throughout the difficult period of detention, adding: "After that, we learned about the intervention of officials in Egypt on our behalf, and we extend our great thanks to them for the efforts they made... After this difficult period, we had no dream other than to return to Egypt and meet our families."

In this vein, Ahmed Mahmoud, one of the Egyptians who were held on board the ship, told "Al Arabiya.net" and "Al Hadath.net" that the period of detention was extremely difficult, pointing out that they woke up to the sounds of gunfire, while weapons were spread around them, making their lives feel like a "nightmare," and the minutes passed very slowly for them.

He also added: "We were subjected to great pressure from the pirates who attacked the ship, kidnapped us, and held us for 151 days, and they demanded a ransom for our release. They allowed us to contact our families, but the goal was to pressure them to get money, which made us live in a constant state of fear and anxiety."

The surprise in Mahmoud's talk is their thinking about liberating "themselves by themselves," saying: "At times we thought about dealing with the armed pirates and ending the matter in any way, so we could get rid of the suffering and harsh treatment we were experiencing, but we also realized at the same time the danger of dealing with armed people in this way."

He explained that the sailors saw on one of the days the intervention of the Somali forces, before the pirates proceeded to release them, pointing out that at first they did not believe what had happened and did not comprehend that they were indeed free, before the procedures for their return to their homeland and reuniting with their families began.

As for the families, Adel Imam, the uncle of Samah Abdel Azim, told "Al-Arabiya.net" and "Al-Hadath.net" that "the family is currently experiencing a great state of joy and happiness after the announcement of the release of the sailors and their safe return, especially after more than 5 months of anxiety, fear, and waiting," explaining that "throughout this period we were living in hope that news would reach us to reassure us about them, but at the same time fear dominated us due to the long duration of detention and the difficult conditions we knew they were living in."

He also pointed out that the period of detention for the sailors was extremely difficult for their families, amid their continuous waiting for any news or communications to reassure them about their children, in a state of anxiety regarding the end of the crisis and the possibility of seeing them again, noting that the news of their release was a great source of joy for the families after a long period of anxiety, prayer, and waiting.

Imam mentioned that the Egyptian efforts during the period of the sailors' detention were greatly appreciated by the families, who were following the news they received regarding the efforts made to end their detention and bring them back to Egypt, expressing gratitude to everyone who contributed to these efforts.

Ambassador Mohamed Salah, Egypt's ambassador to Somalia, welcomed the Egyptian sailors upon their arrival at Mogadishu Airport, where they were transported to the embassy and provided with necessary accommodation and care, in preparation for their departure with the Egyptian ambassador to Cairo.

These measures were implemented in accordance with the directives of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and under the supervision of Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty, regarding the safe return of the Egyptian sailors from Somalia to Egypt.

It is noteworthy that the oil tanker "MT Eureka" was hijacked in early May by armed Somali groups while sailing off the Yemeni coast, and 12 sailors have been held on board since May 2, including 8 Egyptians and 4 Indians.

For 151 days, the families of the sailors awaited news of their loved ones, amidst the uncertainty surrounding their detention and fate, while negotiations for their release repeatedly stalled due to disagreements over the demanded ransom amount.