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Published : 15 Apr 2024, 10:41 PM
European Union Naval Force Operation ATALANTA, or EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, has released three photos of MV Abdullah after Somali pirates freed the ship and its Bangladeshi crew.
Confirming the release in a statement with the photos on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, EUNAVFOR said Operation ATALANTA was the first actor to respond to the hijacking of the vessel on Mar 12.
One ATALANTA vessel had started shadowing the pirated ship after the incident.
Throughout the 32 days of captivity of the sailors, Operation ATALANTA has been actively engaged monitoring the situation, the statement said.
“ATALANTA reaffirms its role as a key maritime security actor, providing timely and effective response to any security alert being a reference in the fight against piracy during the last 15 years in the Western Indian Ocean.”
EUNAVFOR had proposed a forceful rescue of the ship but the government and the owner did not agree to the proposal, considering the safety of the sailors, a foreign ministry official had said.
Reuters and the Somali media have reported that a Tk 5 million ransom was paid, but the ship’s owner SR Shipping and the Bangladesh government declined to comment on the matter.
❗Operation ATALANTA confirms the release of the 23 crew members of the Merchant Vessel ABDULLAH and the ship.
???? Warships of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA escort the MV ABDULLAH after the release.
More information: https://t.co/ugjjZBHUoA pic.twitter.com/nqhOTbSPKs
— EUNAVFOR ATALANTA (@EUNAVFOR) April 15, 2024
