Staff Reporter :
Somali pirates who hijacked the vessel MV Abdullah have taken a compassionate approach by providing dumba and goats to the 23 Bangladeshi crew members in order to replenish their dwindling food supplies.
The owner of the Bangladeshi ship and the Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers Association confirmed the information to the media.
They said that the resupply of food will remove the tension caused by the depletion of food, but there is still concern about drinking water. They hope that the pirates will do it for their own sake.
Previously, on December 5, 2010, another ship owned by the same group, MV Jahan Moni, was hijacked by Somali pirates.
The sailors were rescued after 100 days. According to the sailors on that ship, when the food supplies ran out, the pirates would bring two goats every week for them.
On March 12, while carrying 55,000 tons of coal from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates, MV Abdullah was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
The pirates took control of the ship and captured all 23 sailors on board, who are all Bangladeshis.
On Wednesday, the owners of the ship were able to communicate with the pirates through a third party.
Shakhawat Hossen, the Secretary of the Bangladesh Merchant Marine
Officers Association, told the media that generally, there are two types of food provisions on board ships: preserved and dry.
“The duration of the voyage determines the type of provisions stored on the ship. However, dry food provisions are typically stocked for longer durations,” he said.
When a ship is hijacked, pirates usually supply food provisions. However, there may be issues with fresh water supply, requiring rationing to manage the situation.
During the time MV Abdullah was hijacked, there was a 25-day supply of food for the sailors on board.
A leader of the sailors’ organisation told the media that they are not concerned about food because the pirates are bringing dumba and goats to the ship for the sailors.
However, there is worry about the supply of clean water because the pirates cannot provide it. As a result, the sailors are rationing the available clean water.
Due to the crisis, sailors are now using the ship’s clean water for only one hour every two days. In other words, they are only getting two hours of clean water per week.
During the time MV Abdullah was hijacked, there was a supply of 200 tons of clean water on board. The sailors had been informed that this water could last for one month.
However, they mentioned that, if rationed, it could last for many more days. Currently, the crews are only using clean water for cooking and food preparation to conserve it.
When asked about the situation, Media Advisor Mizanul Islam from Kabir Group, the owners of the ship, expressed hope that there would not be any issues regarding food supplies.
Regarding the release of the sailors, Mizanul Islam said, “Discussions are ongoing. A final agreement has not been reached yet. Our efforts are focused on repatriating the sailors as quickly as possible.”
