The UAE flagged ship MV Al Taj, hijacked by pirates calling themselves the ‘Somali Marine’, finally arrived safely at Al Hamriyah Port yesterday morning.

Relating their ordeal, Captain Mohammed said, “We were on our way to Kismayu after unloading part of a general cargo in El Maan port. At about 3pm, a 15-member gang of pirates came up to the ship in speedboats and fired at us. We had no idea what was happening. They used grappling hooks and ladders between the vessels and boarded the Al Taj. Captain Mohammed said the men were armed with pistols and other guns. One crewmember Jumma Osman was killed and two others were badly beaten, kicked and punched during the attack.

In addition to the crews’ belongings and money, the pirates also removed some of the cargo. The remaining cargo is still in the ship’s hold.