NEARLY two dozen Bangladeshi crew members of a cargo ship taken hostage by Somali pirates were greeted with an emotional welcome from their families upon their return home after weeks of captivity, reports Agence France-Presse.
The bulk carrier MV Abdullah, carrying over 55,000 tonnes of coal from Mozambique to the UAE, was hijacked by pirates about 550 nautical miles (1,000 kilometers) off the Somali coast in March.
This incident occurred amid a surge in Somali pirate activity, coinciding with the redirection of international naval forces from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea to counter attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels.
Chief engineer A S M Saifuzzaman described the 32-day ordeal as a 'nightmare,' recalling the terror of having guns held to their heads whenever another ship approached.
The crew was freed after the Bangladeshi owners, KSRM Group, paid a substantial ransom, which was air-dropped onto the vessel.
The exact amount was not disclosed. Following the release, the MV Abdullah continued its voyage to the UAE, escorted by two EU naval ships. The pirates provided a letter assuring safe passage to Dubai.
Recent attacks by Houthi gunmen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have also heightened tensions, targeting vessels they associate with Israel.
SeaNews Turkey
The bulk carrier MV Abdullah, carrying over 55,000 tonnes of coal from Mozambique to the UAE, was hijacked by pirates about 550 nautical miles (1,000 kilometers) off the Somali coast in March.
This incident occurred amid a surge in Somali pirate activity, coinciding with the redirection of international naval forces from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea to counter attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels.
Chief engineer A S M Saifuzzaman described the 32-day ordeal as a 'nightmare,' recalling the terror of having guns held to their heads whenever another ship approached.
The crew was freed after the Bangladeshi owners, KSRM Group, paid a substantial ransom, which was air-dropped onto the vessel.
The exact amount was not disclosed. Following the release, the MV Abdullah continued its voyage to the UAE, escorted by two EU naval ships. The pirates provided a letter assuring safe passage to Dubai.
Recent attacks by Houthi gunmen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have also heightened tensions, targeting vessels they associate with Israel.
SeaNews Turkey
