Somali pirates released a hijacked Bangladeshi ship, Abdullah, and its crew of 23 early on Sunday after a $5m ransom was paid, according to two pirates.
“The money was brought to us two nights ago as usual… we checked whether the money was fake or not. Then we divided the money into groups and left, avoiding the government forces,” Abdirashiid Yusuf, one of the pirates, told Reuters.
The ship was hijacked in March as it was heading from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates. Another Bangladeshi ship, hijacked by Somalis 12 years ago, also was forced to pay $5m to be freed.
After a six-year quiet period, Somali pirates have been back in the headlines in recent months.
Naval forces have freed fishing boats seized by gunmen and thwarted other attempted attacks. Last month, Indian commandos boarded and recaptured a vessel seized in December, the Maltese-flagged Ruen. All 17 hostages were rescued and 35 alleged pirates were brought to Mumbai to face prosecution.
“The resurgence of Somali pirate activity is worrying, and now more than ever it is crucial to protect trade, safeguard routes, and the safety of seafarers who keep commerce moving. All measures to ensure the uninterrupted free flow of goods throughout international supply chains must be taken,” commented John Denton, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), last week while unveiling global piracy statistics for Q1.
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