Somali Pirates Release Hijacked Ship MV Abdullah And Crew After Receiving $5 Million Ransom

The Somali Pirates released the hijacked ship MV Abdullah and its 23 crew members on April 14, 2024, after reportedly receiving a payment of $5 million ransom.

According to the pirate’s statements, the ransom was given two nights before the release. After that, they checked whether the money was fake and then divided it amongst themselves. Measures were taken to evade identification by government forces.

The Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier MV Abdullah carried 55,000 tonnes of coal from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates when it was taken over around 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, on March 12, 2024.

The vessel, which is owned by Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills (KSRM), was hijacked by a group of 15 to 20 armed somali pirates.

More than a dozen vessels have been targeted since last November, signalling a return to pirate activity that had been mostly inactive since 2018.

Security analysts explain this rise to be caused by a perceived lack of security in Somali seas as a result of naval patrols shifting their attention to the Red Sea in response to strikes by the Houthi group in Yemen.

The ransom payment, which has not been officially confirmed, is said to have been enabled by conversations between the ship’s owner KSRM group and the somali pirates.

While specifics regarding the ransom were not made public, the owner’s maritime business, SR Shipping, confirmed the crew’s safe release and the released vessel’s (MV Abdullah) arrival in the United Arab Emirates, escorted by two warships.

However, Somali government officials haven’t issued official statements about the incident yet.

The resurgence of piracy in the region is thought to be motivated by several cases, including perceived security relaxations and the continued regional conflicts in Yemen and Gaza.

Reference: Reuters

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Source: Maritime Shipping News