Concerns mount as pirates tighten grip on MV Abdullah

A relative of one of the sailors aboard the Bangladesh-flagged vessel MV Abdullah, captured by pirates last week, has reported an escalation in their aggressiveness towards the crew.

Badrul Islam, brother-in-law of the Kabir Group-owned ship’s oiler Mohammad Shamsuddin, said on Monday night that all the sailors were healthy, but they were not allowed to enter the ship's computer room. 

He said their water supply was rapidly dwindling, with the pirates restricting usage to only a couple of hours per day, forcing the sailors to resort to using seawater for the remainder of the day.

“I spoke with Shamsuddin on WhatsApp when he made a call at around 2pm on Sunday Bangladesh time. He said he was healthy. He told me the pirates had taken away everyone’s mobile phone, promising to return them with local SIM cards. But they did not do that. It is a kind of deception."

“At night, when the sailors go to sleep in their respective cabins, pirates keep banging on their doors every couple of hours. This is how the pirates are harassing them,” Badrul said.

Badrul, quoting Shamsuddin, said the pirates had yet to contact the ship's owners to convey their demands, as they were waiting for the owners to initiate contact to potentially secure a higher ransom. “On the other hand, the ship owners are waiting for the pirates to make the first move and outline their demands.”

Concerns for the safety and well-being of the 23 sailors on board the ship continue to grow among their family members, with some relatives falling ill due to anxiety.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the pirate group that first seized MV Abdullah later handed it over to a second group. It is uncertain whether the second group will demand ransom or leave it in the hands of another group.

Concern about cargo

Meanwhile, the cargo of coal onboard the MV Abdullah, totalling 55,000 tons, has become a source of worry for the crew.

Chief Officer Atiq Ullah Khan reported in an audio message to the owners recently that the coal posed a risk of fire, especially with oxygen levels measuring at 9-10%. He said regular monitoring was required, and expert opinion might become necessary if oxygen levels increased for any reason.

No communication yet between pirates, owners

"We are in regular contact with the hostage sailors, and they are healthy. The pirates have not made any demands yet; we are trying to work with them. So far we have not found any such source through which we can communicate with the group. But we are leaving no stone unturned,” Md Mizanul Islam, media advisor to Kabir Group, said.

“Our main goal is to bring the ship and its sailors back unharmed.”

SR Shipping, a subsidiary of the Chittagong-based Kabir Group, operates MV Abdullah, the latest of the 24 ships owned by the company. Built in 2016, this bulk carrier has a length of 189.93 meters and a width of 32.26 meters, with the draft being a little over 11 meters. Its name was Golden Hawk before SR Shipping bought it last year.

MV Abdullah set sail from the port of Maputo, Mozambique, Africa, on March 4, scheduled to arrive at Port Al Hamriya in the United Arab Emirates on March 19. However, it fell into the hands of pirates in the Indian Ocean at around 1:30pm on March 12  and has been under their control since then.