Eight Gujarat sailors on board a dhow, hijacked by Somali pirates last month, have been rescued by US and Oman navies, but one of them died as he jumped into the sea fearful of getting hurt, a shipping association today said.

President of the Kutch Vahanvati Association (KVA) Kasam Ali Bholim said the vessel ‘Faiz-E-Osmani’, hijacked on March 28, was rescued by a joint operation of US and Oman navies.

“The navies which were searching for pirates in the sea near the Somalia coast spotted the vessel and cautioned the Indian sailors on board to take cover before the rescue operation began,” Bholim told PTI.

“One of the sailors Sultan Ahmed Khijja from Gujarat’s Salaya jumped into the sea fearing that he might get hurt during the operation.

He was rescued but could not be saved as he had gulped water in large quantity,” he said.

Earlier four more dhows belonging to Gujarat based owners were released. However three dhows of Kutch and Porbandar are still under control of Somali pirates.