MV Abdullah being taken elsewhere once again

One day after reaching the coast of Somalia, Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah, held hostage now by pirates of Somalia, is being taken elsewhere.

The pirates are sailing the ship along with the 23 Bangladeshi sailors to an unknown location, according to an e-mail message sent around 7:30 pm on Friday (March 7) by the ship’s chief officer to the owner of the ship.

“The email said the ship was anchored at the Somali coast of Garakat on Thursday. After a one day break, 'MV Abdullah' started to move again. Anchor was picked up on Friday morning at the behest of the pirates. The pirates then ordered the ship to operate. Currently the ship is moving northward from the Garakat coast,” said Meherul Karim, chief executive officer of SR Shipping Limited, the owner of MV Abdullah.

He said, “The chief officer of the ship sent the email. He said all the sailors were healthy. Pirates are not treating them badly and have not yet talked about any financial demands. The pirates might claim ransom only after reaching a safe place of their choice.

Mentionable, on Tuesday (March 12) noon, the Somali pirates held hostage the sailors of the ship, owned by SR Shipping of Kabir Group, while going to Dubai from Mozambique carrying 50,000 MT coal. The pirates first kept the 23 sailors on the ship in a cabin. The ship's internet connection was also closed. At this time, the mobile phones of the sailors were seized. On the third day of the holding hostage, the pirates sailed the ship to the coast of Somalia on Thursday.