Sumon Mustafa, Special Correspondent: In a daring attempt to rescue Bangladeshi sailors held hostage by Somali pirates, an exchange of gunfire erupted between the two parties, resulting in the retreat of the vessel sent for the rescue mission.
According to an anonymous navy sailor, speaking on condition of anonymity, “Last night (Wednesday night), a navy ship attempted to rescue us. They did not succeed.
The pirates fired at them. Then the pirates said we (Bangladeshi sailors) have hostages. If they (the rescue ship) attack, they will kill us.”
The navy sailor added, “Then they (the pirates) left. They are following us from 20 nautical miles away. They are telling our captain that they are following us. They will not be able to come close as much as possible.”
The vessel sent for rescue has been trailing the Bangladeshi ship since Wednesday afternoon. It is uncertain whether it belongs to the Somali Navy or possibly an Arab country.
The sailors on the vessel communicate repeatedly using a microphone, reassuring the Bangladeshi sailors and urging the pirates to abandon the ship. However, fearing the threat of being killed, they retreated 20 nautical miles away.
According to the information received, the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. Currently, the vessel is positioned 20 nautical miles away from the Gulf of Aden.
The General Secretary of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers’ Association, Mohammad Shahkawat Hossain, informed CNN, “According to the latest information, the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah is located about 20 nautical miles away from the Gulf of Aden. It may take about two hours for the ship to reach the Gulf of Aden.”
The MV Abdullah, owned by the country’s leading industrial group KSRM, is a bulk carrier. Its length is 189.93 meters and width is 32.26 meters.
Initially, the ship was named ‘Golden Hawk’. After joining the KSRM group in Bangladesh, its name was changed to ‘MV Abdullah’.