World
Ship Hijack Hijacked Bangladeshi cargo ship heading towards 'unknown' destination
Dubai, March 15: On the order of the pirates, the anchor of the hijackedd Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Abdullah has been lifted again. Chief Officer Captain Md. Atiq Ullah Khan said that the ship is being taken to a new convenient place for the pirates.
He gave this message to the owner of the ship in an e-mail at around 3:30 on Friday (March 15).
It said the ship was anchored off the coast of Somalia on Thursday in Garaka. After a one-day break, 'MV Abdullah' started running again. On Friday morning, the anchor was dropped at the command of the pirates. The pirates then ordered the ship to sail. The ship is currently proceeding northward from the Garakat coast.
Confirming the matter, Chief Executive Officer of SR Shipping Limited Mehreul Karim said, "I have received the chief officer's mail. He said that all the sailors of the ship are healthy. The pirates are not mistreating them and have not yet spoken of any financial demands. The pirates may demand a ransom only after the ship reaches a safe location of their choice."
Earlier on Tuesday (March 12) noon Bangladesh time, the SR Shipping's cargo ship owned by industrial group KSRM was taken hostage by Somali pirates. The 23 crew members there were locked in a cabin. The ship's internet connection was also shut down. They took away crew members' mobile phones and dollars.
The cargo ship, carrying 58,000 metric tons of coal, departed from the port of Maputo in Mozambique on March 4. It was scheduled to arrive at Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 19.
There are 23 Bangladeshis on the ship including sailors and crew. The pirates started to take the ship from the Indian Ocean to the coast of Somalia around 5:30 pm Bangladesh time on Tuesday. The ship was 450 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia at the time.
