Bangladeshi vessel seized by Somali pirates safely returns to home port

By Faisal Mahmud

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - A Bangladeshi cargo ship, MV Abdullah, after being hijacked by Somali pirates in mid-April finally reached home on Monday evening, officials told Anadolu.

The ship docked at Kutubdia island in the Bay of Bengal and will reach its dockyard in Chattagram tomorrow afternoon, Mizanul Islam, spokesperson for Kabir Group, the parent company of the vessel's owner SR Shipping, told Anadolu.

All of the 23 crew members, who were taken hostage by Somali pirates for more than a month, are in good health, Islam said.

Somali pirates hijacked the Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Abdullah on March 12, 2024. The ship, carrying 55,000 tons of coal from Mozambique to Dubai, was taken over by the pirates along with its 23 crew members.

After securing a reported ransom payment, the pirates released the ship in the early hours of April 14.

Upon release, the MV Abdullah set sail for its original destination, the UAE port of Al Hamriyah, on April 22. There, it unloaded its cargo and then proceeded to Mina Saqr, another port in the UAE, to load 56,000 tons of limestone destined for Bangladesh.

In a similar incident back in 2010, another ship from the same company, the MV Jahan Moni, endured a lengthy hijacking ordeal. The crew of 25 sailors, along with one additional person (likely the captain's wife), were held hostage for 100 days. Their release also reportedly came after a ransom was paid.

Meherul Karim, CEO of the SR Shipping, told Anadolu that they are happy that their crews have reached home safely. “We are happy that their release was secured within a quick period,” he said.

Mainul Haq Munna, a brother of MV Abdullah’s crew member Ainul Haq Avi, told Anadolu that the family members can’t wait to meet Avi. “For over a month, the whole family couldn't sleep properly as Avi was a captive in the hands of Somali pirates. Now, we are ecstatic to meet him again,” he said.

“Avi has already called us from Kutubdia. Tomorrow, he will reach home,” said Munna.