The European Union’s Operation ATALANTA is currently monitoring the hijacking of the Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier “Abdullah” by Somali pirates.
The position of the event initially was 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia. The last know position is 0641N-04719E where the vessel is anchored.
Visual information gathered from ATALANTA of the merchant vessel shows at least 12 confirm alleged pirates on board the ship although the initial alert of the hijack pointed at a group of 20-armed people.
It is speculated that the origin of the pirates taking part in this hijacked is the same as MV Ruen, as the European Union’s naval force (Eunavfor) said in an update on Friday.
EUNAVFOR said that three camps of alleged pirates groups have been identificated in different areas in the north, center and south of the Somali Coast. From these camps they support hijacking operations.
As it is reported, the situation on board remains the same, the crew has reported to be safe, and the action is still ongoing.
Furthermore, Operation Atalanta is in contact with Bangladesh and Somali authorities, with their partners in maritime security in the area, such as the Indian navy and regional forces to coordinate the most efficient action.
To remind, the ship was taken over last week by armed pirates, whilst the 23 crew members on board have been taken hostage.
It is just the latest piracy incident being carried out by several groups of pirates now stalking the Indian Ocean in hijacked ‘motherships’.
Ships sailing off the Somalian coasts, in the Somali basin are urged to maintain a heightened state of vigilance in light of the recent escalation in piracy threats.
It is strongly recommended that all vessels adhere to the Best Management Practices Version 5 (BMP5), paying a special attention to the drill of security measures before sailing off Somali coasts.
Source: Eunavfor
