Armed pirates hijack oil tanker off Yemen, divert ship toward Somalia
MUKALLA, Yemen — Suspected Somali pirates commandeered an oil tanker off Yemen’s southeastern coast on Friday and began steering it toward Somalia, maritime authorities in Yemen and Britain said, underscoring a renewed piracy threat along one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.
Yemen’s coast guard said attackers seized the Astana about 26 nautical miles (48 kilometres) off Hadramawt province. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), citing military sources, separately reported an “illegal boarding” roughly 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) south of the port of Mukalla.
The UKMTO said “unauthorised personnel” had boarded the vessel, warning nearby ships to proceed cautiously as authorities investigated the incident.
Early reports said an individual had been spotted near the ship’s bridge as the tanker travelled slowly southeast in the direction of the Somali coast.
Yemeni officials said they were working with international maritime agencies and partners to track the tanker. Naval resources, including a Yemeni coast guard boat and reconnaissance aircraft, were deployed to follow its movements.
The seizure highlights a steep rise in suspected Somali piracy following more than a decade of relative quiet.
From 2005 to 2012, Somali pirates launched more than 1,000 attacks and secured an estimated $400 million in ransom payments. An international naval crackdown later drove down the threat sharply.
The shipping industry dropped the Indian Ocean from its “high risk” designation in 2023, but piracy has returned this year. France’s MICA Center has documented 18 piracy-related incidents since April, and hijackers continue to hold several vessels.
Security analysts link the resurgence to dwindling naval patrols as international forces turn their attention to conflicts in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. Shifting trade routes have also brought ships closer to Somalia’s coastline, while instability persists within the country.
The Gulf of Aden forms a crucial shipping artery connecting the Red Sea with the Suez Canal. About 12% to 15% of global trade and roughly 30% of worldwide container traffic moves through the route annually.
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