Sailors’ longing for reuniting with families ends, finally

After two months of tension and anxiety following their capture by Somali pirates, the crew members of the MV Abdullah have been reunited with their families.

A vessel carried the sailors from the ship to the New Mooring Container Terminal at the Chattogram port around 3:45-pm on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com. 

The MV Abdullah had anchored at Kutubdia at 6pm on Monday. The lighter vessel Jahan Moni-3 then transported them to the Chattogram Port.

The family members of the freed seafarers had been waiting at the jetty. Some of them brought national flags with them. They waved to welcome the sailors.

The 23 sailors waved back when Jahan Moni-3 neared the terminal.

Chattogram Mayor M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and the port’s Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail were present at the jetty to greet the sailors, welcoming them with flowers.

Sailors usually board ships for six months or more when setting off for various destinations. They often travel to ports around the world before returning home. As such, their absences are nothing new to their families.

However, the return of the MV Abdullah sailors is far different this time.

On Mar 12, Somali pirates seized control of the MV Abdullah and took the 23 sailors on board hostage as they travelled along the Indian Ocean. The vessel was transporting 55,000 tonnes of coal from Mozambique to the UAE. The sailors had contacted their families over the phone and informed them that they threatened to kill them if a ransom was not paid.

The families have spent weeks in anxiety, worry, and waiting, hoping their loved ones would return home safe.

Initially, international maritime security forces pursued the MV Abdullah after its capture. They also suggested a raid to free the ship and its crew. Somali police also reported that they had arrested pirates on land. But, at the request of the ship’s owners, they did not conduct any operations.

Meanwhile, family members grew concerned amid news of food and water shortages on board the ship and spent a joyless Eid without their loved ones.

After spending 33 days in captivity, the pirates left the ship on Apr 13.

The crew were free to go, and their families waited anxiously to see them in person once again.

The MV Abdullah then set sail for the Al Hamriya Port in Dubai. It unloaded its coal cargo at Mina Saqr port in the UAE and took on stone before resuming its journey to Bangladesh on May 1 after refuelling at Fujairah port.

The MV Abdullah docked at the Kutubdia channel on Monday and began unloading some of the 56,000 tonnes of stone. The vessel then made its way to the Chattogram port’s outer anchorage to unload the rest of its cargo.

Finally, on Tuesday, the families were reunited at the port city’s New Mooring Container Terminal.