Ship Crew Taken Hostage by Al-Shabaab

By The Maritime Executive 07-11-2014 12:06:00

A Kenyan-owned ship was heading towards Mombasa, Kenya when it became stranded due to “technical difficulties” at a small Somali seaside village in the Middle Shabelle province.

The ship ran aground about 120 km northeast of Mogadishu, the port where its crew unloaded some cargo before the incident. According to witnesses, the ship was looted by locals - mainly fishermen - after they attacked the ship. Equipment was mainly taken.

Shortly following the robbery, reports stated that Al-Shabaab fighters arrived at the scene with several vehicles. Eyewitnesses said that the heavily armed, unidentified militants demanded the crewmembers to surrender, and took them hostage - driving off with them in their vehicles. Before leaving, the assailants told the locals to bring back all the looted equipment from the ship.

There is a total of 11 crewmembers now under Al-Shabaab custody. Six are Kenyan, including the ship’s captain, four are Tanzanian and one is a Somali. The seized all-male crew were taken to an unknown location in the Middle Shabelle.

The ship is believed to be the M/V Jamila.

There has been no official comment on the incident from the Al-Shabaab movement so far.