CHITTAGONG: Pirates have seized a Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier off the coast of Somalia and taken its 23-member crew hostage, the boat owners said on Tuesday.

The MV Abdullah was sailing from Mozambique’s capital Maputo to the United Arab Emirates with a cargo of 55,000 tonnes of coal when it was attacked around midday on Tuesday, the company said.

“A group of 15-20 Somali pirates hijacked the ship,” said Meherul Karim, chief executive officer of Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills, which owns the vessel.

The company released an audio message from one of the crew held hostage, who said that gunmen in two speed boats approached the vessel and opened fire. Karim said the crew were unharmed, adding that “we are waiting for the next message and call.” Mizanul Islam, a company spokesman, said the attack took place around 550 nautical miles (1,000 kilometres) off the coast of Somalia.

Hijackings off Somalia since December have fuelled concerns about a resurgence of Indian Ocean raids by opportunistic pirates, coming on top of a separate surge in attacks launched by Houthi rebels.

Houthi gunmen have launched scores of attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden targeting what they deem to be Israeli-linked vessels. International naval forces have been diverted north from the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea, sparking fears that pirates will exploit the security gap.

The first successful case of Somali piracy since 2017 was recorded in December.

Naval forces — including from India, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles — have since freed fishing boats seized by gunmen and thwarted other attempted attacks.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

No remorse
Updated 28 Feb, 2025

No remorse

Disturbingly, the regime seems to grow bolder in its defiance of its obligations with each passing day.
Affordable Ramazan
28 Feb, 2025

Affordable Ramazan

WITH the month of Ramazan commencing in a day or two, a price spiral peculiar to the fasting month has kicked off....
Grotesque vision
28 Feb, 2025

Grotesque vision

THE Trump administration has sunk to a new low in its cavalier approach to the Gaza crisis. It seems all sense has...
The challenge before banks
Updated 27 Feb, 2025

The challenge before banks

The way we do banking today will not exist in next 10 years, only those will survive who are capable of adopting new technologies.
Torkham tension
27 Feb, 2025

Torkham tension

CONTROVERSY over demarcation of the common frontier is one of the key obstacles standing in the way of better...
Weak link
27 Feb, 2025

Weak link

KARACHI — economic powerhouse, cultural melting pot, and bustling metropolis of over 20m souls. There is much that...