A Bangladeshi-flagged bulk carrier was hijacked by a group of pirates while it was about 600 nautical miles north-east of Mogadishu, Somalia.
The Abdullah, owned by SR Shipping, a subsidiary of the steel producer Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills (KSRM), was attacked by two small boats as it was crossing the Somali coast heading towards the United Arab Emirates.
20 pirates boarded the bulk carrier and took control of it. All 23 crewmembers were taken hostage.
Since December, hijackings and kidnappings off the coast of Somalia have been on the increase, with a resurgence of incursions into the Indian Ocean by pirates intent on taking advantage of the current chaotic scenario due to the escalation of tension in the Middle East.
Translation by Giles Foster
