Dhaka prioritises crew safety, rejects EU-India military rescue for hijacked ship

A ship from the European Maritime Forces and a warship from the Indian Navy sought permission to launch a rescue operation for the crew members right after Somali pirates hijacked MV Abdullah, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs opted against any armed intervention.

SR Shipping, the vessel's owner, also was not for such an operation fearing the potential loss of the crew members' lives.

"Conducting a military operation always carries the risk of casualties on board. Given that the ship owner has agreed to pay the ransom, there was no need for such action," said Rear Admiral (retd) Khorshed Alam, secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' maritime unit, in a TV talkshow on Saturday.

He also highlighted the lack of records indicating successful rescues of abducted sailors unharmed through military operations.

Meherul Karim, chief executive officer of SR Shipping, confirmed the refusal to authorise a military operation on MV Abdullah.

"The safety of our crew members is our top priority. We couldn't afford to risk the lives of our sailors, so we declined the proposal for a rescue operation," he told TBS yesterday evening.

Karim also mentioned ongoing efforts to establish contact with the pirates through various international agencies despite not receiving any ransom demand from them yet.

He also said the ship's captain communicated by a satellite phone with the company yesterday.

"He informed us that all the crew members are fine and the pirates are behaving well with the hostages," said Meherul.

Pirates now playing waiting game? 

A week has passed since the Somali pirates took control of MV Abdullah from a location 600 nautical miles off the coast on 12 March. Following the hijacking, it took over two days to navigate the ship into Somali waters, with an additional two days spent to anchor in a safe and secure place.

However, for the past two days, the ship's location has remained unchanged, with no communication initiated by the pirates with either the ship owner or relevant authorities.

Meanwhile, an update emerges from a voice message sent by a sailor on board the hijacked vessel that indicated that a new contingent of 11 armed pirates has taken control of the ship replacing the pirates who captured it.

Naval experts suggest that the pirates are currently engaged in a strategic waiting game, meticulously observing the situation. Initially, they took several days to locate a secure anchorage for the vessel and now, they are evaluating the ship's value and the owner's capability to meet their demands, they say.

Shakhawat Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association, told TBS that the pirates have anchored MV Abdullah approximately four miles off the Godob Jiraan coast since Friday evening, with no recent movement of the ship. "This indicates they have secured a safe location and settled in," he added.

According to the seasoned mariner, the pirates are in the process of transferring control of the ship to another group for security purposes. They are also evaluating the ship's value, loaded with 55,000 tonnes of coal, and assessing the owner's capability to meet their demands, he said.

He also said the pirates are monitoring media coverage to gauge public reaction, intending to use this information to set a ransom amount. "However, the pirates are deliberately prolonging the process to instil panic, employing a waiting game strategy."

Shakhawat criticised some local media outlets for spreading sensational news, potentially disrupting the negotiation process. He said it is important to remain calm and patient, awaiting communication from the pirates rather than succumbing to panic.

Mohammad Idris, a sailor who experienced the hijacking of MV Jahan Moni by Somali pirates in 2010, recounted that it took the pirates 26 days to issue a ransom demand to the ship owner after seizing control of the vessel. 

"This tactic aims to exert pressure on the families of the sailors and the ship owner. Even after making their demand, they continue to prolong the negotiation process," he explained.