Somali pirates have released the MV Abdullah, a Bangladesh-flagged vessel, and its crew of 23 members following reports of a ransom payment. The ship, carrying coal from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was seized by pirates off Somalia’s coast approximately a month ago.
While the pirates claim to have received $5 million (£4 million), there is no independent verification of this amount. Recent months have seen a surge in hijackings off Somalia’s coast, with over a dozen vessels targeted since late November.
Security analysts attribute this rise in piracy to a security vacuum created as foreign naval patrols shifted focus to the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has been conducting attacks on ships.
Between 2005 and 2012, pirates in the Horn of Africa region earned between $339 million and $413 million by holding crews hostage and demanding ransom payments, according to estimates by the World Bank.
Reuters news agency reported statements from two pirates confirming the $5 million ransom payment for the release of MV Abdullah and its crew. One of the pirates, Abdirashiid Yusuf, mentioned that they verified the authenticity of the money before departing to avoid government forces.
The vessel’s owner, KSRM Group, confirmed negotiations led to the release of the vessel and crew. Mizanul Islam from SR Shipping, the maritime arm of KSRM Group, stated that they had struck a deal with the pirates. However, he declined to provide further details about the ransom amount, emphasizing that all crew members are safe and secure.
The MV Abdullah has since sailed to the UAE, accompanied by two warships.
