MV Abdullah anchors 7 miles off Somali coast

The Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah, hijacked by Somali pirates with 23 crew members on board, anchored at about 7 nautical miles away from the shore of Garacad, Somalia coast, at around 8pm today and all crew members are safe, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

Officials at the foreign ministry's Maritime Affairs Unit say that the pirates have not yet communicated with authorities in Bangladesh demanding any ransom.

However, the ship owners say that 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.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 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.

He also said that when the Malaysian ship Al-Bedo fell into the hands of pirates, there were seven Bangladeshis, two Iranians, three Indians, two Pakistanis and five Sri Lankan sailors abroad, but the Malaysian owner did not take any responsibility.

"We worked throughout and after about three years and four months, we brought the Bangladeshi sailors back unharmed after negotiations with the Kenyan army," he added.

Rescue operations takes time

Seasoned captains and engineers in the naval sector say that in such incidents, it may require considerable time to navigate through all the necessary procedures and successfully rescue both the ship and its crew. During this period, pirates often exploit the situation to exert pressure on the ship's owner.

Captain Mohiuddin Abdul Quader, representing various international insurance companies in Bangladesh, told TBS, "The team from the ship's insurance company primarily engages with the pirates. Additionally, numerous intermediary organisations are involved in negotiating ransom demands on behalf of the pirates."

Captain Anam Chowdhury, President of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association, said, "Negotiations often extend over a period as pirates do not directly accept ransom money into a bank account."

"Instead, arrangements must be made to deliver the ransom, usually in dollars, to a specified location according to the pirates' preferences. Typically, ransom money is dropped in waterproof bags from low-flying aircraft near the sea or coast to meet the pirates' requirements," he said.

General Secretary of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association, Shakhawat Hossain, said, "The ship's owner is prepared to pay the bandits' ransom to secure the safe return of the sailors. Having previously experienced a ship being taken hostage by pirates, they are well-equipped to manage the situation effectively."

Families appeal for government intervention

Meanwhile, families of the abducted sailors of MV Abdullah appealed to the government and the ship owners to rescue their loved ones from the grip of the pirates as soon as possible, regardless of the cost.

Shakera Begum, mother of MV Abdullah's engine oiler Shamsuddin Shimul, said that since Tuesday, there has been no communication with her son. She expressed concern over the safety of her son and other crew members of the ship.

Lutfa Ara Begum, mother of the ship's oiler Ainul Haque Abhi, said, "We earnestly appeal to the prime minister to address the issue and bring back all the crew members as soon as possible."

On Tuesday, pirates seized control of the ship, which was carrying coal from Mozambique's Maputo port to Al Hamriyah Port in the UAE, around noon.