Somali pirates hijack Bangladeshi ship, hold 23 hostage

Somali pirates hijacked a Bangladeshi ship in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday.

The vessel named MV Abdullah had 23 Bangladeshi nationals, including sailors and crew on board, and all of them were taken hostage by pirates, sources concerned said.

The ship owned by the KSRM Group's SR Shipping was heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Mozambique, KSRM's Deputy Managing Director Shahriar Zahan told the media today.

A source maintaining communication with the ship told Jago News it is now near the Somali coast of the Indian Ocean and at least 50 pirates are staying there.

Earlier in March of 2011, a Bangladeshi-flagged ship named MV Zahan Moni was captured by Somali pirates with 26 Bangladeshis on board, and it was freed after three months.

AAZ/SU