Somali pirates have recently released the Bangladeshi-flagged merchant vessel “Abdullah” after holding it captive for over a month. The vessel, along with its 23 crew members, was hijacked while sailing from Maputo to the United Arab Emirates with a cargo of coal. The European Union Naval Force (EU NavFor) confirmed the release on 15 April, stating that their Operation Atalanta was the first to respond to the hijacking.
According to reports from the Reuters news agency, the pirates demanded a ransom of five million US dollars for the release of the “Abdullah”. The ship’s owner, the KSRM Group, negotiated with the pirates and successfully secured the release of the vessel and its crew. Mizanul Islam of SR Shipping, the group’s maritime arm, confirmed the successful negotiation, stating that all crew members are safe and secure.
Following the release, the “Abdullah” resumed its journey to the UAE, escorted by two warships. In a swift response, Puntland authorities apprehended at least eight pirates on the East Coast of Puntland shortly after the release of the vessel. It is reported that the Puntland Police Force successfully captured members of the pirate group responsible for the hijacking, although it is unclear whether the ransom money was recovered during the operation.
Puntland, an autonomous region in Somalia, has been actively working to combat piracy in the region. The region declared itself autonomous in 1998 and aims to be part of a federal Somalia while maintaining its own governance. The successful release of the “Abdullah” highlights the ongoing challenges of piracy in the region and the efforts made to ensure the safety of maritime trade routes.
