MV Abdullah hijacking: Owner, industry seek peaceful resolution, oppose military action
The fate of the 23 crew members aboard the Bangladeshi-flagged MV Abdullah remains uncertain a week after the ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
No communication has been established with the captors, and a proposed military rescue mission by the Indian Navy has been met with resistance from the ship's owner and the Bangladeshi shipping industry.
The Indian Navy successfully rescued all sailors from another hijacked vessel, MV Ruen, but the MV Abdullah is currently located within Somali territorial waters. International law dictates that permission from the Somali government is required for any operation within 12 nautical miles of their coastline.
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The ship's owner, Kabir Group, prioritises the crew's safety and firmly rejects any military intervention. "We do not support any kind of military operation," stated Kabir Group media advisor Mizanul Islam. "Our main objective is a peaceful resolution that avoids bloodshed."
Efforts to secure the crew's release are underway through international intermediaries. Notably, the Bangladesh government has not responded to an earlier offer of assistance from the European Union's anti-piracy operation, "Atalanta".
Maritime experts warn that a military operation in Somali waters could be disastrous. "While pirates pose a threat in open waters," explained Captain Anam Chowdhury of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association, "their power significantly increases near the coast. A peaceful resolution is absolutely the most viable course of action at this time."
The MV Abdullah was en route from Mozambique to the UAE carrying 50,000 tons of coal when it was hijacked on 12 March. This incident marks the second time a vessel owned by Kabir Group has been targeted by Somali pirates.
In 2010, the MV Jahan Moni was held captive for 100 days before the crew's release upon ransom payment.
