
136 Days
Untold Story of MV SEA JOHANA SURVIVORS
“136 Days” unfolds a mesmerizing tale of Captain Kazim Abbas, whose life takes an unexpected turn aboard MV Sea Johana. Setting sail from Dar es Salam to Gujrat, the voyage quickly becomes a nightmare when technical issues leave the ship stranded near Somalia’s treacherous coast. Little did the crew know that they would soon fall into the clutches of merciless Somali pirates who ruthlessly hijack the vessel and take them hostage.
As the gripping memoir unravels, Captain Kazim finds himself enduring unimaginable horrors, especially due to his religious beliefs. With rival tribes vying to sabotage any attempts at ransom, the hostages are trapped in a harrowing struggle for survival. Amidst this chaos, Captain Kazim suffers a debilitating foot injury, triggering a race against time to save his limb from amputation. The bravery of his fellow captives becomes a beacon of hope, as they rally to save him from the brink of despair.
Each passing day becomes a desperate battle for freedom, as the hostages cling to hope while facing relentless torment. But who can they trust? As the twists and turns intensify, alliances form and break, revealing the true faces behind their captors and the murky dealings that led them here.
With every page, “136 Days” keeps readers on the edge of their seats, evoking a sense of suspense and horror that’s hard to shake off. The tale of resilience and survival will leave you breathless, wondering how they managed to endure such trials and emerge on the other side.

Narrator’s profile
Captain Kazim Abbas
Captain Kazim Abbas belongs to Karachi. He received his early education in Karachi. After completing his Bachelor of Science degree from Karachi University, he joined the Merchant Navy as a cadet in 1995. After serving as a cadet on various vessels for forty-one months, he obtained his Second Officer’s license from Maritime College in England in 2000. He continued his services as a Third Officer and Second Officer in various shipping companies worldwide.
In 2004, he passed the Chief Officer examination from Blackpool and Fylde College in England and continued to serve as a Chief Officer on different vessels. In September 2006, he entered into the bond of marriage, and in 2007, he obtained his Captain’s certificate from Blackpool and Fylde College in England. He served as a Captain on various ships until 2008. In May 2008, after being selected as a Marine Pilot in the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) in Singapore, he completed one year of training and served as a Marine Pilot in the Port of Singapore until 2018. In 2018, he joined DP World in Dubai as a Marine Pilot and has been serving as a Senior Marine Pilot at Jebel Ali Port, Port Rashid, and Dubai Harbour.
You may contact Captain Kazim at his email address: mvkazim@hotmail.com
TIMELINE
Captain Kazim joined the ship (MV Sea Johana) as Second Officer in October 1998.
Ship left the port of Mombasa (Kenya) on 15th December 1998. Conincidently, it was the borthday of Captin Kazim (Second Officer at that time)
Ship was hijacked on 23rd December 1998 near the cost of Somalia
Crew released from captivity on 7th May 1999 through the border of Kenya
Crew member from Pakistan arrived at Karachi Airport on 14th May 1999
In 2013, the writing project (in Urdu) started by Saghir Mehdi Zaidi, and completed in January 2018
First Edition (in Urdu) published in July 2018 by Welcome Book Port Pakistan
First Digital Edition (in Urdu) published in Adeeb Online in June 2022
Second Edition (in Urdu) published in December 2022 by Adeeb Online
Third Edition (in English) published in July 2023 at Amazon (Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover), Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Scribd, Smashwords, KOBO, and other platforms.
Forth Edition (Audio Book) will be released soon…