Pirates taking captured Bangladeshi ship to Somalia, crew seeks prayers

Sailors on board a Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia have sought prayers as it is reportedly being taken to the African country.

“We have been taken hostage by Somali pirates. But we are all safe and sound. Keep us in your prayers,” Asifur Rahman, a sailor on the ship MV Abdullah, posted on his Facebook account at around 7pm on Tuesday, sharing several photos and a 16-second video.

The photos and the clip show pirates getting on the ship. 

Earlier at around 1:30pm, the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah was captured by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. Officials of the Kabir Group-owned SR Shipping came to know about the matter later in the afternoon.

Saiduzzaman, chief engineer of the ship, sent a voice message to SR Shipping officials in the evening, saying they were fine, but the pirates were taking away their mobile phones. “We are trying to keep one mobile phone with us. There is WiFi on board. I have requested them to keep the WiFi on.”

Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers' Association (BMMOA) General Secretary Shakhawat Hossain said: “The sailors and officials on board could be contacted till 7pm Bangladesh time. Then the pirates took away their mobile phones. 

“We are worried about the 23 sailors and officers on board, and we will be anxious until they are back among us.”

According to a BMMOA press release, MV Abdullah, owned by SR Shipping, was seized by pirates 450 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia on its way to the United Arab Emirates from Mozambique carrying coal.

“There are 23 Bangladeshi sailors and officers on the ship. The pirates have taken full control of the ship. We have spoken with the ship owners. They told us the sailors were able to communicate with the owners as well as their families sometime after the pirates took control of the ship. Everyone is well.”

It is believed the Somali pirates are taking the ship to a port in their country. Several hours have passed since the incident, but there has been no communication from the pirates with the ship owners and no demands have been made.

Mizanul Islam, media advisor to SR Shipping, said the vessel carrying coal was en route to the UAE from Mozambique when it fell into the hands of pirates in the Indian Ocean. All 23 sailors and officers on board were safe, he added.

Somali pirates wreaked havoc in international waters for roughly a decade spanning from 2008 to 2018.

Data from the Maritime Security Center - Horn of Africa, the planning and coordination centre for the European Union's anti-piracy operation EUNAVFOR, show there have been more than 20 hijackings or attempted hijackings of vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin since November, according to media reports.