Somali Pirates Make Contact With Owners Of Hijacked Ship, MV Abdullah, After 8 Days

Somali pirates have communicated with the owners of the bulk carrier MV Abdullah, owned by the Kabir Steel and Re-rolling Mills (KSRM) Group, after eight days of hijacking.

Meherul Karim, CEO of SR Shipping Ltd., a sister company of KSRM Group, verified the contact and added that it was made first via a third party. However, he would not provide specifics of the conversation.

The KSRM Group’s media spokesperson, Mijanul Islam, assured that more meetings between the pirates and the owners would be scheduled at a time that would work for all parties involved.

The pirates have not yet demanded anything for the release of the 23 crew members, but officials are expecting to reach an agreement on ransom demands during the next round of discussions.

The hijackers permitted initial communication, according to Commodore Mohammad Maksud Alam, director general of the Bangladesh Department of Shipping, who spoke with reporters. The captain of the ship was allowed to communicate with his homeland.

“They were not rude,” he remarked. Based on this contact, the hijack scenario may be resolved immediately. The ship’s owners expect to have an outcome before Eid ul Fitr.

The SR Shipping-owned MV Abdullah was hijacked while transporting coal from Mozambique to the UAE. At the time of the incident, 23 Bangladeshi sailors were on board. On March 14, while under pirate control, the ship arrived off the coast of Somalia; since then, its location has changed.

This hijacking is the latest in a string of over 20 attacks by Somali pirates who have been idle for nearly a decade. Somali pirates cost the world economy an estimated $7 billion in 2011 alone, including ransom payments.

According to Mijanul Islam, the sailors are safe and doing well despite being held hostage. Previously, in December 2010, Somali pirates took control of SR Shipping’s MV Jahan Mani; hostages were freed as a result of government actions and other measures.

Naval patrols have led to a decrease in Somali pirate attacks, but recent events indicate that piracy is on the rise again. The EU Naval Force issued a warning that Somali pirates may use the captured ship, MV Ruen, as a “mothership” for additional attacks.

Somali pirate attacks on vessels increased between 2010 and 2015 but have since reduced due to enhanced naval patrols. However, recent events indicate a return in piracy activities, with Somali pirates seizing a cargo ship for the first time since 2017.

Reference: benarnews, observerbd

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