SHARJAH // At first it was just a dot on the horizon. The dhow was about 15 miles off the Somali city of Bossaso, in the Gulf of Aden, returning to the UAE from Mogadishu, when members of her 14-strong Indian crew noticed what seemed to be a fishing boat moving towards them.
Aware of the threat of pirate attacks in the area, Sidhik Umar Bhatti, the captain of the dhow, the MV Nefya, ordered full speed ahead, just to be on the safe side.
Moments later, though, a speedboat, manned by four armed Somali pirates, had almost caught up with them.
"The pirates started firing in the air and threatened to shoot us. They came close and demanded that we throw down a ladder," said Mr Bhatti.
Another speedboat, loaded with ammunition, quickly reached the dhow. The sailors looked on helplessly as seven men climbed on board their ship. They carried two rocket launchers, several machine guns and communications equipment.
For the sailors, it was the beginning of a six-day ordeal in which every moment would be filled with dread.
"For six days, we were under fear of when they would kill us," said Mr Bhatti, 37, sitting in the dhow in Sharjah creek near Khalid Port, recalling the hostage drama.
The dhow, which has a capacity of more than 1,300 tonnes, was captured on July 10.
"They told us they wanted nothing from us but they needed the boat. They instructed us to move towards Aden," said the captain.
The crew believe that the pirates had been given a tip-off that the empty vessel was returning, and it was just what they needed. "They wanted to use this boat to capture bigger ships," said Mr Bhatti.
The pirates were young, between 25 and 30, and were taking orders from an older man.
"The older man was in constant communication with someone over the wireless phone. He would take orders in directions and the next course of action over the phone," said Mr Bhatti.
On July 13, the dhow was steered towards a Liberian oil tanker, the MV Elephant. A full assault was launched on the tanker as the crew of the dhow ducked for cover.
"I have never seen such firing before. We were all very scared and thought they would kill us too," said one of the junior sailors.
The pirates fired indiscriminately and took to their speedboats again to get close to the Elephant, then tried to climb on board.
"The captain of the ship was intelligent and he poured hot water to prevent the men from climbing on," said Mr Bhatti.
In the meantime, the tanker made contact with a French naval warship that was patrolling nearby, and which soon reached them. A helicopter also arrived, as did a vessel from the Indian Navy.
It was the first time that two warships from different navies had been involved in such an incident during the piracy off Somalia.
The warships shadowed the dhow, putting pressure on the pirates to leave the ship and release her crew. For the next few days, the warships and the helicopter kept watch on the movement of the captured dhow, not allowing it out of sight.
On board the vessel, however, the pirates' frustration was boiling over. Once their attack on the Elephant failed, they became agitated and started assaulting the crew.
"They kicked and punched us," said Mr Bhatti. "They wanted the navy vessels to go away. They asked us to communicate with the navy and tell them that all hostages would be killed if they do not go away."
The sailors were desperately worried and wondered if they would ever be rescued.
"Two of our men even thought of jumping into the sea," said Mr Bhatti. "However, the navy vessels were three miles away at this point and it would be certain death if the ships did not spot them."
Threatened with the prospect of the naval forces moving in, the pirates set the dhow for the Somali shore and got off on the morning of July 15.
Before they left, the pirates took the crew's personal belongings, including money and mobile phones, and warned the men not to talk to anyone or they would track them down and kill them.
The crew's survival is being seen as a major victory for multi-national anti-piracy patrols being carried out off Somalia.
"We thank the navies as they only left because they were scared the navies would attack and capture them," said Mr Bhatti.
"Navy patrolling in this area is necessary - and a lifesaver for us."
Hundreds of ships carrying goods such as cars, electronics, food and toys have been attacked this year off Somalia.
Reports suggest that nearly a dozen vessels remain in the hands of pirates, with hundreds of men held hostage.
The pirates appear to be getting bolder and demanding larger ransoms for the release of vessels and their crews. Last year, US$3 million (DH11m) was said to have been paid for the release of the Saudi Arabian tanker Sirius Star.
The crew of the dhow Nefya believe naval protection for merchant shipping is the only solution as they continue risking their lives travelling to and from Mogadishu.
"We have to go back, we have no choice," said Mr Bhatti, who pointed out that the ship carried goods to Somalia regularly and would be back in Mogadishu in less than a month. Asked if his family were aware of the risks he faced, Mr Bhatti said: "My family know about it and they keep asking me to leave this job and get back home."
He has been working with Haji Pir General Trading, the Sharjah-based company that owns the dhow, for 15 years and was made captain a year ago. Pirates had attacked the boat in April but they sped off before getting close.
"It all depends on our luck if we get caught or not," said Mr Bhatti, smiling. "We will see what happens the next time."
pmenon@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Which products are to be taxed?
To be taxed:
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Products excluded from the ‘sweetened drink’ category would contain at least 75 per cent milk in a ready-to-drink form or as a milk substitute, baby formula, follow-up formula or baby food, beverages consumed for medicinal use and special dietary needs determined as per GCC Standardisation Organisation rules
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The National selections
Al Ain
5pm: Bolereau
5.30pm: Rich And Famous
6pm: Duc De Faust
6.30pm: Al Thoura
7pm: AF Arrab
7.30pm: Al Jazi
8pm: Futoon
Jebel Ali
1.45pm: AF Kal Noor
2.15pm: Galaxy Road
2.45pm: Dark Thunder
3.15pm: Inverleigh
3.45pm: Bawaasil
4.15pm: Initial
4.45pm: Tafaakhor
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m, Winner SS Lamea, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m, Winner AF Makerah, Sean Kirrane, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m, Winner Maaly Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,600m, Winner AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m, Winner Morjanah Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,200m, Winner Mudarrab, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
