A Bangladeshi cargo vessel has reportedly fallen prey to hijackers in the Indian Ocean region, veering towards the Somalian coastline, as per reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The vessel was infiltrated by a group of individuals utilizing two craft, one large and one small, as detailed in UKMTOs Company Security Officer (CSO) reports. Fortunately, the crew remains unharmed, although the vessel now harbours 22 unauthorised armed persons onboard.The vessels last known position, disclosed by UKMTO, is 0149N 05425E, charting a course at 315 degrees, leading towards the Somalian coast. This incident marks the latest in a string of attacks amid a resurgence of pirate activities, although the maritime security firm Ambrey did not explicitly attribute the hijacking to Somali pirates.Ambrey, as cited by Reuters, identified the targeted ship as a Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier en route from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates. Al-Jazeera, however, specified the vessel as MV Abdullah, operated by Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills, laden with 55,000 metric tonnes of coal.Meherul Karim, CEO of Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills, informed Al-Jazeera that a group of 15-20 Somali pirates commandeered the vessel. Responding to the incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued cautionary advisories to vessels in the vicinity, undertaking an investigative pursuit into the matter.The resurgence of Somali pirate activities has instigated concerns, with the Maritime Security Centre—Horn of Africa noting over 20 hijackings or attempted hijackings in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin since November. This resurgence harks back to a period between 2008 and 2018, when Somali pirates wreaked havoc in crucial global waterways, signifying a troubling resurgence in maritime security threats.
