Pirates have seized the MV Abdullah, a Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier, off the coast of Somalia, taking its 23-member crew hostage. The vessel, owned by Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills, was en route from Maputo, Mozambique, to the United Arab Emirates with a cargo of 55,000 tonnes of coal when it was attacked. Approximately 15-20 Somali pirates hijacked the ship in the Indian Ocean, about 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, according to Meherul Karim, CEO of Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills, and maritime security firm Ambrey. The incident raises concerns about a resurgence of piracy in the Indian Ocean, with recent hijackings adding to fears sparked by increased attacks on shipping by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. International naval forces have been redirected north from the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea, potentially creating a security vacuum that pirates could exploit.
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