GMM Safety | 2024-03-13 | Case Security |

A bulk carrier that is being identified as the “ABDULLAH” has most likely been hijacked and its crew of 23 taken hostage off the coast of Somalia.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the incident took place around 600 nautical miles off the west coast of Mogadishu. The UKMTO further stated that the “authorities are investigating” without revealing the name of the ship.

However, multiple media outlets and shipping market sources have identified the hijacked vessel as the 58,000-dwt ABDULLAH. The ship is 185.7m long and 30.4 m wide. The vessel was sailing to Hamriya, United Arab Emirates, from Maputo, Mozambique, when it was boarded.

Independently, maritime security expert Ambrey stated that a Bangladesh-registered bulk carrier was reportedly boarded by 20 armed people when it was sailing in the region north of Somalia. According to Ambrey, the ship initially altered course to the southeast while increasing speed and later reduced the speed to 1 knot.

Ambrey has further advised all merchant vessels to steer clear of the region. The UKMTO reported that unauthorized persons were now in control of the vessel and that they had boarded the vessel in one small and one large craft.