Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Feb 2: Abdul Jabbar from Uppala, who was held captive after the ship in which was working was held by pirates off Somalia on November 18, reached the safe environs of his home in Uppal near here on Saturday January 31.

The ship moving towards Iran from Germany in which he was working, was abducted by pirates, who held the 25 seamen working in the ship as captives and demanded for payment of ransom. The captives were all released on January 9.

Abdul Jabbar from Parekatte in Uppala took a bus from Mumbai on Friday and reached home on Saturday. Many people including Manjeshwar block panchayat president Golden Abdul Khader, Mangalpady gram panchayat vice president B M Mahin Haji, Muslim League panchayat unit president T A Moosa etc., offered him a grand welcome on arrival and led him to his home. His family members, particularly his mother Julekhabi's happiness had no bounds to see Jabbar, who is close to their hearts, come home unharmed.

Jabbar explained that during the 53 days in captivity, armed pirates had kept strict vigil on them and fed them food that was enough for only ten days. The pirates took away the mobiles, clothes and other belongings, he explained.  "When the cabin of the ship caught fire accidentally on one of those days, the pirates thought it to be our handiwork and were about to gun us down. However, after realizing that we had no role in it, they calmed down. We helped in dousing the fire. When a speed boat ventured near the ship after straying from its route, the pirates grew nervous and were about to kill us," he said.

Jabbar said he never imagined he would come home alive. His family feels that Jabbar was unharmed because of the prayers they offered to the Lord. Jabbar is also thankful to the Federation of Ship Employees that actively got involved with releasing the captured seamen.