Somali pirates release Bangladesh-flagged ship, crew members

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – The Bangladesh-flagged vessel MV Abdullah and its 23 crew members were released by Somali pirates early Sunday after “successful negotiations” between the hijackers and the ship’s owner, an official with the company confirmed to Anadolu.

“The pirates released the ship and all the crew members in the early hours of Sunday following successful negotiations,” said Mizanul Islam, media adviser of Kabir Group of Industries, popularly known as KSRM Group.

Somali pirates hijacked the vessel and all its crew members in the Indian Ocean for 32 days. The vessel was carrying coal from Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, to Al Hamriyah Port in the United Arab Emirates.

Pirates captured the ship at gunpoint on March 12 off the Somalian coast.

“Now the ship is being sailed towards the UAE port,” he said, adding that all 23 crew members on board are safe and in good health.
Two navy ships were escorting the vessel to the UAE.
After a few days, the government of Bangladesh and the ship’s owner with the help of assigned negotiators tried to reach a negotiated settlement as the hijackers demanded money as ransom.

All of the crew members are residents of Bangladesh’s port city Chattogram.
A sailor told his family that bags full of dollars were dropped over the side of the ship from a small aircraft, local newspaper Prothom Alo reported, quoting family members of a crew member.
Finally, about eight hours after receiving the ransom, the pirates left the ship late at night. The money was dropped from the aircraft only after it was confirmed that all of the sailors were alive, said the report.

The official speaking to Anadolu, however, denied saying anything about the money transaction in terms of ransom, adding that all the details would be made public through a news conference shortly.

In 2010, a vessel belonging to SR Shipping was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea. Ransom money was also delivered.

The pirates who seized the MV Abdullah have reportedly been paid $5 million for the ship's release, The Daily Somalia reported.