Somali pirates confirm taking $5 million ransom to release Bangladeshi ship
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GAROWE ONLINE
- Posted On 16-04-2024, 07:55AM
Garowe (GO) - The Somali pirates who were arrested by Puntland authorities received $5 million ransom before releasing a Bangladeshi merchant ship, several weeks after they intercepted it along the Indian Ocean, amid rising cases of piracy.
MV Abdullah was released before the pirates were intercepted by the Puntland Marine Police Force (PMPF) who have tightened the fight against the pirates in Somalia’s 3,333 KM coastline, which is also subject to Al-shabaab terror attacks.
The vessel was en route from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates when hijacked approximately 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu in March. The ransom was given a few days ago with those delivering dropping it using a small aircraft
"After confirming the money's authenticity, we distributed it among our teams and then escaped, steering clear of government forces," Abdiashid Yusuf, one of the pirates purportedly involved in the incident, told Reuters.
The $5 million ransom to free the hijacked ship MV Abdullah and its crew from pirates off the coast of Somalia was arranged by a marine insurance company headquartered in the United Kingdom, also known as a P&I club in the industry, Reuters reports.
The International Group is a non-profit association of 12 P&I (Protection and indemnity insurance) Clubs that provide marine liability coverage for 90% of the world's ocean-going tonnage. These clubs operate as mutual associations and are owned by their members.
Cases of piracy have surged in the past few months despite heightened security along Somali waters. There were claims that pirates have signed an agreement with Al-shabaab militants to help in extortion before sharing the loot but there are no independent confirmation over the same.
The US Africa Command and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) have been supporting the government of Somalia to handle pirates and Al-shabaab. Piracy levels had gone down in the last decade before recent developments.
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