After a two-month ordeal, five crew members of a cargo ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates returned to India on Monday. Scenes of their tearful homecoming played on all the major television channels even as the Indian navy prepared for an aggressive anti-piracy campaign in the world's busiest and most dangerous shipping lanes.
The MV Stolt Valor ship was taken over by armed Somali pirates off the Yemeni coast in September and was released last week after its Japanese owner paid an undisclosed ransom.
The crew members came home to a euphoric welcome as people swarmed the Mumbai airport singing, beating drums and offering garlands. A replacement crew will bring back the ship to India on Tuesday.
"The past two months were horrific. I wouldn't even wish this for my enemies. We were always kept at gunpoint 24 hours and asked to stay on the bridge," said Alistair Fernandez, a crew member. "We were allowed to go inside the ship only for showers. It was very strict, and without their permission, we could not do anything."