Sub-Saharan Africa
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Somali Pirates Reportedly Release Vessel Hijacked in March After Ransom Payment

The MV Abdullah, a Bangladeshi-flagged dry cargo ship, a type of merchant vessel used to carry large amounts of cargo, was hijacked in March while en route from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates.
Sputnik
Somali pirates released the hijacked ship MV Abdullah on Sunday after paying a ransom of $5 million, media reported, citing the pirates.
According to the report, the ship was released with its entire crew.
After its release, the ship is reportedly bound for the United Arab Emirates, where it could arrive within a week.
The MV Abdullah was hijacked by pirates on March 12, 450 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, en route from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates with 59,000 tonnes of coal. There were 23 Bangladeshi seafarers on board.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Piracy Off Somalia's Coast Spikes Amid Houthis' Attacks in Red Sea, Reports Say
In a similar incident in December 2010, Somali pirates hijacked the Bangladeshi vessel MV Jahan Moni in the Arabian Sea. They took 25 sailors and the wife of the ship's chief mechanic hostage. The pirates released them 99 days later, after a series of negotiations.
Earlier, in February, the US media reported, citing the International Maritime Bureau, a piracy watchdog, the European Union Naval Force and the British Navy, that while Western navies are busy trying to quell Houthi militant attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, Somali pirates are slowly starting to ramp up their activities.