Cargo ship, crew released 32 days after hijacking off Somalia

European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Somalia, the European Union maritime counter-piracy task force deployed in the waters of the Indian Ocean off Somalia, has confirmed the release of a commercial cargo vessel and its crew 32 days after it was seized.

The Bangladeshi-flagged bulk carrier Abdullah and the 23 sailors on board were released into the custody of EUNAVFOR Somalia personnel on Sunday, April 14.

The vessel was boarded illegally by armed perpetrators approximately 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu on March 12, 2024. Over the succeeding 32 days, the hijacked ship remained under continuous surveillance by personnel on EUNAVFOR assets.

One of the pirates that had seized Abdullah reportedly told Reuters that the release of the vessel and the crew followed the payment of a US$5 million ransom.

Abdullah is owned by Bangladeshi shipping company the KSRM Group. The vessel is presently en route to its final destination in the UAE with two naval ships providing escort.

Abdullah had earlier departed Mozambique with a cargo of coal when the hijacking occurred.