Eleven out of the 23 crew members of a Bangladeshi cargo vessel, MV Abdullah, that was hijacked by a group of Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, are residents of Chattogram.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ship, carrying coal from Mozambique’s Maputo port to Al Hamriyah Port in the UAE, was attacked around noon.

MV Abdullah is owned by SR Shipping Lines – a sister company of Chattogram-based Kabir Steel and Rerolling Mill (KSRM) Group. All crew members are being held hostage by the pirates, said KSRM’s media adviser Mizanul Islam.

Bangladesh cargo vessel hijacked by Somali pirates in Indian Ocean

The crew members are: Captain Mohammad Abdur Rashid, Chief Officer Mohammad Atikullah Khan, Second Officer Mazharul Islam Chowdhury, Third Officer Tarequl Islam, Deck Cadet Sabbir Hossain, Chief Engineer ASM Saiduzzaman, Second Officer Toufiqul Islam, Third Engineer Rokon Uddin, Fourth Engineer Tanvir Ahmed, Engine Cadet Ayub Khan, electrician Ibrahim Khalil, seaman Md Anwarul Haque, seaman Md Asifur Rahman, seaman Sazzad Hossain, seaman Joy Mahmud, seaman Nazmul Haque, seaman Ainul Haque, oiler Mohamamd Shamsuddin, Ali Hossain, fireman Mosharraf Hossain Shakil, chief cook Shafiqul Islam, general steward Nur Uddin, and fitter Saleh Ahmed.

KSRM owns 23 ships – all operating on international routes.

In 2010, one of the ships, ‘MV Zahan Moni’, was hijacked and was later released by Somali pirates after providing ransom.

Read more: 11 crew swim ashore as water enters coal-laden cargo vessel in Pashur River