Online Desk:  Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah which was released on April 14 with all 23 crew members after 31 days of captivity by Somali pirates, anchored at Kutubdia point in the Bay of Bengal in Cox’s Bazar district on Monday evening, ending long wait of families.

Mizanul Islam, media adviser of the vessel owner KSRM Group, said the vessel reached the Kutubdia coast around 6:30 pm.

The family members and relatives of the crew members will receive them at Chattogram’s Sadarghat jetty on Tuesday.

The 23 crew members will reunite with their families 64 days after being taken hostage by pirates.

A festive mood has been prevailing among the family members of the crew members for their safe return.

The vessel will leave for Chattogram port after unloading goods at Kutubdia, said Mizanul.

“All the crew members are safe and sound as far as I know and the further development will be known later,” he said.

The vessel, which was hijacked for 33 days, departed Al-Hamriya Port in the United Arab Emirates for Bangladesh on April 28 after unloading 55,000 metric tonnes of coal.

MV Abdullah initially anchored at the UAE port on the evening of April 22, following its release from pirates’ captivity.

The ship first arrived at the outer anchorage of the port on April 21, following its ordeal which began on March 12 when it was seized by Somali pirates about 600 nautical miles off the Somali coast en route from Mozambique to Dubai.

The pirates took control of the vessel and its crew, holding them until a ransom of Tk 55 crore facilitated their release on the night of April 13.