Foreword
It was November 21, 2021, when I first met Captain Kazim. We had previously spoken a few days prior when he sent us the digital copy of the first edition of his Urdu book after watching Adeeb Online’s TVC. As soon as I began reading the initial pages, I was immediately struck by the intense and unique nature of the story, realizing it must be published on Adeeb Online. To my surprise, Captain Kazim was residing in Dubai, not Singapore as mentioned in the book’s introduction. Since I was living in Abu Dhabi at the time, we decided to meet over the weekend.
When we met the following weekend, Captain Kazim presented me with a copy of the book and briefly explained the events that I later explored within its pages. I can confidently say it is one of the most fascinating stories I have ever read. As a keen follower of adventure stories since childhood, I have been captivated by works such as Daniel Defoe’s fictional masterpiece “Robinson Crusoe,” the intense WWII movies “The Great Escape (1963)” and “The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957),” and the true escape story of Henri Charrière in “Papillon.” These books and movies have left a sensational and thrilling impact on me that I can still feel today.
The late 20th century and early 21st century were marked by media reports on the stories of Somali Pirates. They would often kidnap cargo ships, taking the crew hostage and demanding exorbitant ransoms for their release. These news stories would surface for a while and then fade away without much follow-up or in-depth details, leaving the conclusion that matters had been settled and the ship, along with its crew, had been freed. Apart from Captain Richard Phillips’ famous book “A Captain’s Duty” and the subsequent movie “Captain Phillips (2013),” I am not aware of any similar accounts that provide a comprehensive illustration of what transpired within the captivity of Somali Pirates. Perhaps many crew members were unable to document their experiences, or they chose not to revisit those horrific memories. Therefore, I can confidently assert that Captain Kazim’s firsthand account is the very first book that portrays the true horror of those 136 days, deeply touching the hearts of its readers and painting vivid images of those moments.
As Captain Kazim explained to me, the story of “Sea Johana” is unique in many ways. When their ship was hijacked, they were not kept hostage onboard but were taken to the shore and denied any chance of returning to their vessel. They were eventually released across the Kenya border. Another exceptional aspect is the duration of their captivity—136 days, which equates to nearly four and a half months. During that time, two significant events for Muslims, Eid ul Fitr and Eid Al Azha, took place. This harrowing abduction began on December 23, 1998, and concluded on May 7, 1999.
The story’s most intense dimension arises from the fact that these captives not only faced danger from their captors but also came under attack from rival tribes who sought to prevent their rivals from gaining any financial benefits from the ordeal. The captives’ potential access to more resources would enable them to strengthen their own defenses. Consequently, these tribes were willing to go to any lengths, including killing the hostages, to prevent this. It is a multi-dimensional threat where the captives found themselves praying for the lives of their captors, who, in turn, became their protectors. Captain Kazim assured me that while he may have missed some details, not a single part of the story has been exaggerated, nor has any fiction been added. The events are as true as they unfolded.
In summary, as you embark on the journey through these pages, you will easily be able to visualize an intense and thrilling web series spanning over two dozen episodes, filled with breathtaking events. To aid your understanding, we have included sketches, images, maps, and charts that illuminate the terminologies, designations, and locations central to the story. We hope that this unique piece of writing will receive the appreciation it deserves from readers worldwide, making it easier for us to pursue our next project—an immersive web series based on this extraordinary event. We eagerly await your reviews and suggestions to enhance the text further.
Happy reading!
