Pirates shift hijacked ship again: Owners of MV Abdullah

The pirates shifted the hijacked Bangladeshi ship, MV Abdullah, along with its 23 crew members on Friday, a day after taking the vessel near the coast of Somalia.

The ship owners, Kabir Group’s sister concern SR Shipping Limited, were confirmed of the location of the ship around 3:00 pm today, Friday.

The pirates anchored the ship 20 nautical miles off the coast of Garacad in Somalia around 1:00 pm Thursday (Bangladesh time). Later, the ship was anchored just seven nautical miles from the coast in the evening. Today, the ship was taken to a nearby area. It is assumed that the pirates are changing the place to retain their control over the ship.

Asked about this, Kabir Group’s media adviser Mizanul Islam told Prothom Alo, “We learned that the pirates have shifted the ship to another location. The crew members are alright.”

The pirates from Somalia took control of the vessel on its way from the Maputo port of Mozambique to the UAE at around 1:30 pm Tuesday (Bangladesh time). The ship is carrying some 50,000 tonnes of coal.

According to the data of the UK-based Maritime Trade Operation, the ship was some 600 nautical miles east to Somalia's capital Mogadishu in the Indian Ocean at the time of being hijacked.

The pirates have not so far demanded any ransom to release the vessel and the sailors.

Speaking about this, Mizanul Islam told Prothom Alo, “The pirates have not communicated with us so far but we’re not sitting idly. We have already taken preparations to discuss with them. We are also communicating with the international organisations that mediate in these cases.”

The ship was added to the convoy some three months ago.