After a long month, the ship MV Abdullah, along with its 23 crew members, has been freed from the clutches of Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
The sailors set off for Dubai with the ship shortly after midnight on Saturday.
The sailors' families expressed relief upon hearing news of their release, ending a long period of anxiety.
Rima Akter, the wife of Shamsuddin, a welder on the MV Abdullah, said: "Shamsuddin called around 5:30am (Sunday) to inform us that they have been freed from the pirates. We have been eagerly waiting to hear this news and are relieved. We are immensely grateful to God. I also thank the shipowner for securing the sailors' release."
Captain Atiq U Khan of a sea-bound commercial ship said: "After their release, the MV Abdullah has already departed for Dubai. All the sailors will be brought back to Chittagong from Dubai after a week. New sailors will take over the ship's responsibilities in Dubai.
"After negotiating with a Somali interpreter, the sailors told me that the ransom is typically divided into three parts. Around 50% goes to those who risk hijacking the ship and 40% is received by those who bear the cost of the entire operation, meaning those who invest and supply the arms. The remaining 10% is shared among those who provide logistical support and guard the ship."
Mizanul Islam, media advisor for Kabir Group said: "All the sailors along with the ship were released from captivity around 3am on Saturday. The ship MV Abdullah is now en route to Dubai. All sailors are healthy. Details will be disclosed at a press conference at KSRM's Agrabad corporate office at noon today (Sunday)."
However, how much money was exchanged for the release of the sailors and the MV Abdullah ship is not yet known.
SR Shipping, a subsidiary of Kabir Group, owns MV Abdullah. SR Shipping reported that the ship was carrying about 55,000 tons of coal. It started its journey from Maputo port in Mozambique on March 4 and was supposed to reach Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates by March 19.
On March 12, around 1:30pm, it fell into the hands of pirates in the Indian Ocean. Therefore, it was MV Abdullah’s responsibility to deliver the coal from Mozambique to an importer in Dubai.
This establishment currently owns 24 ships, with MV Abdullah being the latest addition. The bulk carrier, built in 2016, is 189.93m long and 32.26m wide, with a draft slightly over 11m meters. Before being purchased by SR Shipping last year, it was named Golden Hawk. After the change of ownership, it was renamed MV Abdullah.
