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Legal notice to Dubai owners of hijacked ship

A Dubai-based firm that owns a ship hijacked by Somali pirates has been served a legal notice by a UK-based human rights lawyer.

KT file photo used for illustrative purposes only

The Jebel Ali-based company, Azal Shipping and Cargo, that owns MV 1 Iceberg was served the notice on July 20 by the Ansar Burney Trust International, an international human rights organisation, after the company failed to respond to pleas from the relatives of the crew members to help secure their release by paying $3.5 million as ransom to the Somali pirates.

The trust, owned by Pakistani human rights lawyer Ansar Burney, has vowed to fight the case in a UN court if the company does not own up to the 23 crew members who have been aboard the hijacked ship for the past 15 months.

MV 1 Iceberg was heading for Jebel Ali Port when it was hijacked by Somali pirates on March 29, 2010, near the Gulf of Aden.

Currently, the ship is being held off the coast of Somalia. It was said to be carrying mechanical instruments and consisted of a 24-member crew comprising citizens of Pakistan, India, Yemen, Ghana, Sudan and the Philippines. Reportedly, a crew member named Wagdi Akram committed suicide on October 27, 2010 by jumping into the sea. The other crew members are said to be suffering from serious mental and physical problems after being kept alive on a meagre ration of food in a 5X5-foot cabin.

Burney said he has taken the legal action after family members of the crew got in touch with him.

Speaking to Khaleej Times from London on Thursday, Burney said legal action could be withdrawn if the company cooperated.

“We have been requesting the owner to provide us details of the ship and, in particular, details of any attempt at negotiations with the pirates,” said Burney who is also the former federal minister for human rights in Pakistan.

The company has also stopped paying the salaries to the families of the crew of whom six are Indian nationals. The notice asks the company to provide as much information as possible pertaining to the vessel, particularly details of any efforts at negotiations, the pirates’ demands and any settlements reached or likely to be reached.

Burney, who is expected to be in Dubai next week, said that his firm will also request assistance from the Dubai government if the company fails to cooperate.

He also urged upon Pakistan, India, the NATO, the US, the UAE, Europe, the Arab and Middle Eastern countries and the United Nations to take stern action against Somali pirates.

“We are against ransom since the money is used in terrorist activities,” he said.

“When an aircraft is hijacked, immediate action to release the flight is taken. Then, why not in this case?”

A spokesperson for Azal Shipping declined to comment on the legal notice. — asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com