Pirates extended the deadline for payment of US$2.85 million
The Somali hijackers of the MV Albedo have extended the deadline for payment of US$2.85 million(Dh10.4m) in exchange for the crew’s release by another three days.
Although family members had hoped to defer the payment until next month, the pirates have now asked for the funds by Thursday.
“They extended the first April 20 deadline to April 23, and now have asked for the money to be dropped off on April 26,” said Ahmed Chinoy, the chairman of Pakistan’s Citizens Police Liaison Committee, which is mediating with the pirates on behalf of the relatives of the hostages.
“Frankly, we don’t have that money with us yet,” Mr Chinoy said. “We are still in the process of collecting funds.”
There is a substantial shortfall of 150 million Pakistan rupees (Dh6m) in the amount the pirates have demanded for “expenses”, including medicine and food for the crew.
The money has been raised by the citizen’s group, charity organisations, relatives, the Malaysian ship owner and contributions from the public on the website savemvalbedo.com.
Dozens of relatives of the hostages in Pakistan are campaigning for funds from the public this week in front of a Karachi landmark, the Mazaar-E-Qaid-D-Azam.
“It’s a lot of money and we are very scared,” said Shahnaz Jawaid, the wife of the ship’s captain Jawaid Khan.
Their daughter Nareman works in Dubai and has been attempting to raise funds from the Emirates to release the crew.
“Every minute of every day we are trying to raise the funds,” Mrs Jawaid said. “Our only hope is that this nightmare should end and our men should be back safely.”
Mr Chinoy said he has spoken to the captain and the first officer, who have been held hostage along with 20 others for the last 17 months. The sailors aboard the hijacked ship are safe, but supplies are dwindling, he said.
“They said everything, supplies and provisions, are running out. I tried to console them that we are doing our utmost. They are allowed to speak only in English and not in Urdu so that the translator and some pirates can understand what is being said. They asked me to make the payment in time and not ask for any further extensions.”
The cargo ship with 23 crew on board was hijacked in November 2010 after it left Jebel Ali Port for Kenya. One Indian sailor died after the hijacking because of lack of medicines. The vessel now has a crew of 22, including Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Indians and one Iranian.
Source: The National
