The safe return of all crew members concluded a tense chapter in the maritime industry’s history
The MV Abdullah is now heading to the Port of the United Arab Emirates, where it is expected to arrive on April 20, 2024. From there, the crew members will return home, either by plane or ship, within this month.
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The release of the sailors was the result of a month-long, concerted effort by the government and the international community. While there are unconfirmed reports that a ransom was paid, the state minister for Shipping has categorically denied this, stating that the continuous negotiations and international pressure were the key factors that led to the successful resolution of the situation.
Over phases of tense periods for families, the country’s people, and the crew themselves, finally on Sunday, April 14, 2024, the hijacked Bangladeshi flag carrier MV Abdullah and its 23 crew members were freed after 32 days of captivity by Somali pirates. The pirates released the ship and the sailors around 3 am (Bangladesh time on April 14, 2024), ending the panic that had started on March 12, 2024, when the ship was initially seized near the Somali coast.
“The global maritime community extended full support to resolve the issue, with close coordination among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Shipping, and the International Maritime wing.”
– Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Shipping
All the crew members are now safe and accounted for, marking the end of a tense and challenging ordeal for the Bangladeshi shipping industry.
Eight Pirates Arrested
On Sunday afternoon (April 14, 2024), the police arrested eight pirates on the east coast of Somalia’s northeastern state of Puntland. Somalia’s English media Gero reported this about a senior officer of the Puntland police. However, despite the news of the arrest of the pirates, there was no information about the ransom money from them. A Puntland police officer told Gero, “The trend of paying ransoms could encourage pirates to attack more ships.”
Meanwhile, two EU naval warships nearby are escorting the MV Abdullah to safety soon after the release. On Monday (April 15, 2024) at 2 pm, the European Union published a picture of MV Abdullah being taken into custody on the organization’s website.
Continuous Pressure Led to Release
The state minister for shipping firmly stated that there was no involvement of money or ransom in the release of the MV Abdullah crew. He clarified that the government had no information about any money being taken off the ship. He also dismissed the various pictures being circulated, stating that they were untrue and the origin of these pictures was unknown.
Regarding the negotiations, the state minister expressed gratitude to the Somali Puntland Police, the Department of Shipping, various international organizations, the European Naval force, and the Indian Navy for their cooperation and support. He emphasized that it was the continuous negotiations and the immense pressure exerted from multiple fronts that ultimately led to the successful release of the sailors.
Details Of The Hostages of MV Abdullah
The 23-member crew of the hijacked Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah included 11 sailors from Chittagong, two from Noakhali, and one each from Natore, Naogaon, Feni, Faridpur, Lakshmipur, Barisal, Netrakona, Sirajganj, Tangail, and Khulna. All the crew members were being held hostage by the Somali pirates.
The crew consisted of Captain Mohammad Abdur Rashid, Chief Officer Mohammad Atikullah Khan, Second Officer Mazharul Islam Chowdhury, Third Officer Tarequl Islam, Deck Cadet Sabbir Hossain, Chief Engineer ASM Saiduzzaman, Second Officer Toufiqul Islam, Third Engineer Rokon Uddin, Fourth Engineer Tanvir Ahmed, Engine Cadet Ayub Khan, electrician Ibrahim Khalil, seamen Md Anwarul Haque, Md Asifur Rahman, Sazzad Hossain, Joy Mahmud, Nazmul Haque and Ainul Haque, oiler Mohamamd Shamsuddin and Ali Hossain, fireman Mosharraf Hossain Shakil, chief cook Shafiqul Islam, general steward Nur Uddin, and fitter Saleh Ahmed.
Pirate’s Seizure And Resolution
On March 12, the Bangladeshi flag carrier ship MV Abdullah, owned by the KSRM Group’s SR Shipping, was captured by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, approximately 600 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. The ship was en route to the UAE with a cargo of 55,000 tons of coal from Mozambique when the pirates took the crew hostage at gunpoint and diverted the vessel towards the Somali coast.
When the incident was reported, the Indian Navy as well as the European Union’s Atalanta naval force, tasked with securing the East African waterways, immediately began tracking the hijacked ship. However, they refrained from conducting any rescue operation, as the sailors were being held hostage.
The pirates ultimately anchored the MV Abdullah just one and a half nautical miles off the coast of Jifal, in Somalia’s Puntland region. In an audio message sent to the sailors’ families, the pirates threatened to kill the crew members one by one if a ransom was not paid.
While the international maritime security forces were keen to orchestrate a rescue operation, the sailors’ families and the ship’s owners did not consent to it. After nine days of captivity, the pirates’ representative initiated negotiations with the ship’s owner, which eventually led to the release of the sailors on April 14, 2024.
Repetition of the 2010 Incident
In a similar incident, the Somali pirates had previously seized another Bangladeshi vessel, the MV Jahan Moni, in the Arabian Sea in December 2010. The ship, carrying 43,150 tonnes of nickel ore, was navigating around 170 nautical miles from Lakkha Island, India when the news of its hijacking emerged.
The crew, comprising 25 sailors and the chief engineer’s wife, were taken hostage. The ordeal lasted for a grueling 100 days. During this time, the pirates demanded a ransom of $9 million, leading to a tense negotiation process that stretched over two months.
Ultimately, the ransom was settled at $4.72 million – $4.62 million for the release of the hostages and an additional $100,000 for fuel. Despite the managing director of SR Shipping, Mohammed Shahjahan, denying any ransom payment, it was speculated that the insurance company may have facilitated the transaction. The crew was finally released and brought back home, concluding the perilous journey.
Conclusion
The release of the MV Abdullah crew on April 14, 2024, marked the end of a harrowing 32-day ordeal. Despite reports of ransom demands, the state minister categorically denied any involvement of money. Continuous negotiations and international pressure, acknowledged by various parties, led to the successful resolution. The safe return of all crew members concluded a tense chapter in the maritime industry’s history.
