Off the coast of Somalia, a flagged bulk carrier named MV Abdullah fell victim to piracy, resulting in the seizure of the vessel and the abduction of its 23 crew members, as reported by the ship’s owners.
The ship, operated by Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills, was en route from Maputo, Mozambique, to the United Arab Emirates with a cargo of 55,000 metric tonnes of coal when it was attacked on Tuesday.
Meherul Karim, CEO of Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills, confirmed that a group of 15-20 Somali pirates carried out the hijacking.
Maritime security firm Ambrey verified the incident, stating that armed individuals had taken control of the ship approximately 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu in the Indian Ocean.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a caution to nearby vessels and launched an investigation.
Concerns about a resurgence of pirate activity in the Indian Ocean have escalated since December, compounded by increased attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping routes.
Houthis have targeted vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with ties to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom, in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
With international naval forces redirected to the Red Sea, leaving the Gulf of Aden vulnerable, there are fears that pirates may exploit this security gap.
Somali pirates had previously disrupted global maritime traffic for a decade, from around 2008 to 2018.
