Will take required action for sailors release: Navy

Asked about the number of hostages on board M V

Alpha Manyara,Mehta said,I am not aware if there

were any Kenyans on board but according to the reports,which I have seen,the boat had an Indian captain,an

engineer and one more person and there may be some

other fishermen.

Giving details,he said the incident took place well outside the Gulf8230; it is a fishing boat,which has been operating as a Kenyan fishing boat for many months.

He said Indian ships deployed in the Gulf of Aden did not go for patrolling near the Kenyan coast.

There is no patrolling that goes so far south and Kenya has always been well out of the Arabian gulf region, Mehta said during his visit to the annual NCC Republic Day Camp.

The merchant vessel was hijacked on January 9.