Watch: Armed Somali Pirates Hijack Bulk Carrier With 23 Crew Members Off Somalia

The MV Abdullah, a bulk carrier flying the Bangladeshi flag, with its 23 crew members, were taken hostage by Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia, according to the ship’s owners, Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills. The ship, loaded with 55,000 tonnes of coal, was on its way from Maputo, Mozambique, to the United Arab Emirates when the incident occurred.

About 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, in the Indian Ocean, a group of fifteen to twenty armed people boarded the ship. This seizure signals a comeback in pirate activities in the region, which had been mostly inactive since the late 2010s.

Bangladeshi-flagged ship MV Abdullah with 23 sailors has been taken hostage by Somali pirates from the Indian Ocean. The ship, owned by Bangladeshi industrial group KSRM, was reported to be headed for Somalia after being taken hostage. pic.twitter.com/wNNLoXslqZ

— Hossain Tareq (@HossainTareq6) March 12, 2024

Video Credits: Hossain Tareq/Twitter

The incident was verified by maritime security company Ambrey, which also reported that there were armed people on board the MV Abdullah. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency is also actively looking into the matter and has warned nearby vessels. The UKMTO noticed the vessel’s course towards the Somali coast even though it did not specifically name the offenders as Somali pirates.

Increased tensions in the region contribute to the revival of piracy. Several hijackings or attempted hijackings have occurred in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin in recent months, according to data from the Maritime Security Centre – the Horn of Africa, which serves as the EUNAVFOR anti-piracy operation’s planning and coordination headquarters.

The increase in pirate activity is linked to other security issues in the area, such as attacks on shipping by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have targeted ships they believe are connected to particular nations. There are different reports concerning the location and status of the crew of the captured ship as a result of this complicated situation.

The authorities’ priority as they monitor the situation is the crew’s safety and well-being. The incident’s developing nature highlights the continued difficulties maritime security forces face.

Reference: Aljazeera, CNBC

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