Somali Pirates Held 22 Marida Marguerite Crew for 7 Months After $5 Million Ransom Siege
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 15
Somali Pirates Held 22 Marida Marguerite Crew for 7 Months After $5 Million Ransom Siege
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 15
Summary
Eight months after Somali pirates stormed the Marida Marguerite 120 miles off Oman, second engineer Chirag Bahri says 22 crew were held for seven months and 20 days before release.
Six gunmen first seized the bridge in May 2010, then about 40 more boarded off Garacad and opened ransom talks that began at $15 million before settling at $5 million.
Bahri described escalating abuse as talks dragged on, including beatings, hog-tying in the sun and genital restraints; he said the worst torture began in late August and peaked on Sept. 9.
A $5 million ransom was airdropped on Dec. 27, the pirates left after dividing the cash, and the tanker limped back to Salalah after nearly eight months at anchor.
Bahri says the ordeal killed his mother through stress, wrecked his marriage and left lasting trauma, but he later returned to sea and now helps families of captives, including 11 relatives from the Honour 25 case.