The location of the Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah, hijacked by Somali pirates with 23 crew members on board, was changed on Friday after it had anchored about seven nautical miles away from the shore of Garacad, Somalia coast on Thursday.
The ship lifted its anchor around 3:30pm on Friday and started moving away from the previous location, said Mizanul Islam, media advisor of KSRM Group.
“We are trying to trace the latest location of the ship," he said.
“We don't know why the ship is suddenly changing position. But none of the pirates have contacted us about the ransom yet. But the sailors are all fine. They are in good health,” said the official.
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday said all-out efforts are being made to bring back the hijacked ship and its crew as soon as possible, but he declined to disclose details to ensure the safety of the crew members.
Meanwhile, an Indian Navy warship maintained its presence in the close vicinity of the vessel till its arrival in the territorial waters of Somalia.
On receipt of intimation, a Long-Range Maritime Patrol (LRMP) aircraft was immediately deployed, and on locating the MV (Abdullah) in the evening of March 12, attempted to establish communication to ascertain the status of ship's crew members. However, no response was received from the ship, according to the Indian Navy.
“The safety of the MV's crew (all Bangladesh nationals) held hostage by the armed pirates was ascertained and the Indian Navy warship continued to maintain in close vicinity of the MV till its arrival in the territorial waters of Somalia," according to a statement of the Indian Navy.
Besides, a European vessel made attempts to rescue sailors held hostage aboard the Bangladesh-flagged ship MV Abdullah, which had fallen into the hands of pirates in the Indian Ocean, the captured ship’s chief officer, Captain Atiq Ullah Khan, said in an audio message to his family.
Earlier, pirates had anchored the MV Abdullah, along with its 23 sailors, in an area seven nautical miles off the Somali coast near Garacad, allowing them to remain in their own cabins.
Everyone was safe and sound, Atiq Ullah Khan, chief officer of the ship, told officials of the Kabir Group, its owner, over the phone on Thursday evening.
Since their capture, the crew has been confined to a room on the deck.
Additional armed pirates, numbering between 15 and 20, had joined those who had initially seized the ship, Atiq said.
Mizanul Islam, media advisor to the group, later confirmed the information.
Pirates had taken the ship to an area under their influence in Somalia, he said, adding that despite the circumstances, all sailors remained unharmed, with efforts ongoing to secure their release along with the vessel.
According to another source, the ship's crew members are carrying out all tasks aboard while the pirates maintain vigilance with their weapons. Despite the tense situation, the crew continues their daily routines, including observing religious practices such as having sehri and iftar, as well as congregational prayers on the ship's bridge.
Everyone was on the bridge on Wednesday, but the pirates allowed them to retire to their cabins during the day on Thursday.
Shakhawat Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers' Association, said the pirates had yet to establish contact with the ship's owners or present any demands.
MV Abdullah, transporting coal with its 23 crew members, was en route from Mozambique to the UAE when it was seized by pirates in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday.
Previously, on December 5, 2010, the MV Jahan Moni, owned by the same company, was seized by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea. Twenty-six individuals on board were held captive for 100 days.
They were released on March 14, 2011, and returned home the next day.
