Coast

Harry SekulichMonday April 27, 2026 Shipping routes off Somalia are once again under close scrutiny after a cargo vessel was seized in what authorities believe was a fresh piracy incident, prompting warnings that the danger to commercial traffic in the region is rising. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) lifted the threat level for the area to "substantial" after saying "unauthorised persons" took control of the ship on Sunday and forced it toward Somalia's territorial waters. At least four vessels have been targeted…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A suspected pirate team seized a St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged general cargo ship off Somalia’s coast Monday and was steering it toward shore, maritime security firms said, underscoring a fresh uptick in pirate activity in the area. British security companies Vanguard and Ambrey said the vessel, identified as Sward, is believed to have come under pirate control after being boarded near Godobjiran in central Somalia. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the attack occurred about 6…

Saturday April 25, 2026 Somali pirates have seized an oil tanker off the country’s northeastern coast, underscoring a renewed threat on a sea lane long watched by global naval forces. A maritime policeman guarded an oil tanker after its release. Somali pirates have hijacked four ships in the past month.Credit...Abdiqani Hassan/Reuters Mogadishu (AX) — Somali pirates hijacked an oil tanker carrying 18,500 barrels of fuel and 17 crew members off Somalia’s northeastern coast, officials said Friday. The vessel, named Honour 25,…

Pirates have seized an oil tanker carrying 17 crew members off Somalia’s coast, multiple security officials told the BBC, in a brazen reminder of a menace once thought to be fading in the region. The vessel, Honour 25, was taken over late on Wednesday by six armed men when it was about 30 nautical miles offshore, the officials said. For years, this stretch of the Indian Ocean was synonymous with pirate attacks, but until three years ago such incidents had largely vanished. Since then, however, piracy has returned, with…

Saturday April 25, 2026 An oil tanker was left under guard after being freed, a stark reminder of how quickly piracy can again unsettle the waters off Somalia. Somali pirates have hijacked four ships in the past month.Credit...Abdiqani Hassan/Reuters Mogadishu (AX) — Somali pirates seized an oil tanker carrying 18,500 barrels of fuel and 17 crew members off Somalia’s northeastern coast, officials said Friday. The ship, identified as Honour 25, was taken late Wednesday by at least six armed men roughly 30 nautical miles…

Friday April 24, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A boat carrying Somali migrants capsized between Algeria and Spain, killing at least 17 people, Somalia’s ambassador to Algeria said Thursday. Ambassador Yusuf Ahmed Hassan told state media that 12 men and five women drowned after the vessel overturned during the crossing. It was not immediately clear how many passengers were aboard. “I was reached by parents who were looking for their children and wanted to know their whereabouts,” Hassan said. He said he later spoke with Algerian…

Sunday April 12, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia is on the verge of its first offshore deep-water drilling campaign, with Petroleum and Minerals Minister Dahir Shire Mohamed saying Saturday that the Curad-1 exploratory well will be drilled in Galmudug State, far out at sea between Mareeg and Harardheere and roughly 275 kilometers (171 miles) from land. Shire stressed that the site sits in deep waters well beyond the coast, describing the operation as taking place “very far from land.” “Curad-1 will be drilled offshore in…

At least two people have been confirmed dead and dozens remain unaccounted for after a migrant vessel capsized in the Mediterranean, rescuers said, as survivors and witnesses described a desperate scramble at sea. The small craft, which set off from Libya, overturned inside a search-and-rescue area that is officially the responsibility of Libyan authorities. German NGO Sea-Watch reported that two merchant ships passing nearby pulled 32 people from the water and transported them to Lampedusa, the Italian island that serves…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — International naval forces are tracking an Iranian-flagged dhow seized by suspected pirates off Somalia’s coast, maritime security agencies said Wednesday. The vessel, the Al Waseemi 786, was reported taken about 400 nautical miles east of Mogadishu. The Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) and the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) described the episode as a "probable piracy event," and said the dhow is likely being used as a "mothership" to support additional attacks on commercial…

Wednesday April 1, 2026 A migrant boat capsized off Turkey’s western Mugla province on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people as coastguard teams raced to find survivors, authorities said. According to a coastguard statement, the inflatable vessel, fitted with an outboard motor, was spotted at 0300 GMT near Mugla’s Bodrum district. The boat attempted to run despite repeated orders to halt, the coastguard said. The vessel later began taking on water amid rough weather and sea conditions in the area before sinking, the…