EU Atalanta Naval Force Warns Against Paying Ransoms

The EU Atalanta naval force, responsible for combating piracy in the Indian Ocean, has issued a warning that the recent ransom payment by a Bangladeshi company to secure the release of its ship and crew could provoke additional pirate attacks.

Following a surge in piracy threats, ships near the Somali coast have been advised to remain particularly vigilant. The European naval force noted that the end of the monsoon season might also increase piracy activity in the area.

It was reported that Somali pirates released the Bangladeshi vessel, Abdullah, along with its 23 crew members, early Sunday after receiving a $5 million ransom. The vessel had been captured on March 12.

The naval force expressed concerns yesterday that this ransom payment might trigger a resurgence of dhow hijackings and subsequent small boat attacks on merchant ships.

Naval teams have successfully liberated fishing boats held by armed individuals and have stopped additional piracy attempts. Last month, Indian commandos regained control of a ship, the Maltese-flagged Ruen, which was seized in December. All 17 hostages were saved, and 35 suspected pirates were arrested and taken to Mumbai for prosecution.

According to the Atalanta task force, up to 18 dhows have been hijacked. They have located several potential pirate camps along the Somali coastline, stretching from Xaafuun to the village of Garacad, with a notable concentration north of Eyl where both the Ruen and Abdullah were detained for weeks.

The task force described a common pirate tactic involving the capture of a dhow to use as a mother ship from which smaller skiffs are launched to attack ships up to 600 nautical miles from the East Somali coast.

The resurgence of piracy coincides with attacks on merchant vessels by the Houthis from Yemen, who have targeted around 80 ships in the past six months.

Amid these increased security risks, the cost for private maritime security personnel has significantly risen.