MV Abdullah moves 50 nautical miles north, anchors near Godob Jiraan coast
"The ship lifted its anchor around 3:30pm on Friday and started moving away from the previous location,” Mizanul Islam, media advisor of KSRM Group, told The Business Standard.
The Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah, hijacked by Somali pirates with 23 crew members on board, has moved some 45-50 nautical miles north from yesterday's (14 March) anchorage point.
"The ship is now anchored about 4 nautical miles off Godob Jiraan coast," Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association General Secretary Shakhawat Hossain told The Business Standard at 8pm on Friday.
Godob Jiraan is a town in the northeastern Nugal province of Somalia.
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MV Abdullah, which got hijacked by pirates last week while carrying coals from Mozambique's Maputo port to Al Hamriyah Port in the UAE, anchored at about 7 nautical miles away from the shore of Garacad, Somalia coast.
There has been no communication with the ship's crew on Friday, according to officials of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association. No ransom has been demanded by the pirates either.
Earlier on the day, Mizanul Islam, media advisor of KSRM Group, told TBS that the ship lifted its anchor around 3:30pm on Friday and started moving away from the previous location.
Meanwhile, the ship owners on Thursday said although the pirates have not communicated with them, they have initiated their rescue procedure.
"We have held a meeting with different international agencies to establish communication with the pirates so we can rescue our sailors as early as possible," said Meherul Karim, chief executive officer of SR Shipping, a concern of KSRM Group, the owner of the hijacked ship.
"Though they [sailors] have not contacted us directly, they were able to send messages to their families using alternative communication methods. From the family members of the abducted sailors, we have learned that they are all fine," he added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also held an urgent meeting regarding the rescue process of the crew members of the abducted ship on Thursday morning. Representatives from different authorities concerned were present at the meeting.
After the meeting, Secretary of the Maritime Affairs Unit of the foreign ministry Rear Admiral (retired) Khurshed Alam told journalists that the first priority now is to bring the sailors back with the ship.
