Pirates Release Hijacked Ship MV Abdullah And All Sailors

The Bangladesh flag-bearing ship MV Abdullah and all of its sailors have been freed after it was hijacked by Somali pirates.

It is reported that the ship set off to Dubai from Somalia around 3am on Sunday, said Kabir Group’s media focal person Mizanul Islam

“The sailors are all in good health,” he said.

The owners will share the details of the hijacked ship's release at a briefing on Sunday afternoon at their Agrabad office.

On Mar 12, Somali pirates seized control of the MV Abdullah and took the 23 sailors on board hostage.

According to reports, the British military was the first to learn about the hijacking that took place 1,100 km away from Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

The vessel was transporting coal from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates at the time. The cargo ship is operated by SR Shipping, a unit of Kabir Group.

The sailors also contacted SR Shipping authorities and relatives back home while being held hostage by the pirates. They said the pirates had threatened to kill them unless a ransom was paid.

The owners contacted the pirates through a third party nine days after it was hijacked.

After an extended negotiation for ransom, the ship was released.