Family fear for safety of young Greek sailor kidnapped by pirates

Parents of 20-year-old Greek sailor Dimitris Giatis from Messolonghi, who was one of four young crew members kidnapped by pirates from a Greek-flagged ship in Togo, West Africa on Monday, are desperately hoping their son will be found soon, as they revealed he has a health condition that requires daily medication.

The young sailor is currently in the hands of pirates and his parents are in complete despair, questioning how the perpetrators managed to abduct the four young crew members from the ship.

“The anxiety we feel for the safety of our child is beyond words. We are trying to understand what has happened. How is it possible that they reached the young sailors' room and that they were taken without any guards realising? How did our child get taken, can you tell me?” Dimitris' father told local media.

The 20-year-old, who has grown up in Messolonghi and studied at the Navy School of Engineering was a young cadet on board the Greek-owned ship Elka Aristotle, which was attacked on Monday.

Dimitris' father also told reporters that his son suffers from a medical condition and requires three pills a day to keep him in good health, which is even more concerning for the parents who are desperately waiting for some good news.