Somali pirates seize oil tanker in Gulf of Aden as maritime security worsens
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somali pirates have seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, in a dramatic escalation of maritime insecurity in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors, according to multiple Somali security officials speaking to the BBC. The vessel, identified as MT Eureka and sailing under the […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somali pirates have seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, in a dramatic escalation of maritime insecurity in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors, according to multiple Somali security officials speaking to the BBC.
The vessel, identified as MT Eureka and sailing under the flag of Togo, was reportedly intercepted and overrun by armed men at around 5:00 AM local time (03:00 BST) while navigating waters near the vicinity of Qana. Yemeni coastguard officials earlier confirmed that the tanker had been hijacked and was being redirected towards Somalia. Security sources said the ship was ambushed by pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden, close to the port area of Qana.
Three separate security officials from Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region told the BBC that the attackers had set out from a remote coastal zone near the town of Qandala, which lies along the Gulf of Aden. The tanker is now moving through the same maritime corridor between Yemen and Somalia and is expected to reach Somali waters within hours.
The incident comes just days after another oil tanker, Honor 25, was hijacked on April 22 while transporting 18,500 barrels of oil bound for Mogadishu. It marks the second such seizure in roughly 10 days and the fourth successful hijacking attributed to pirates in the region over a two-week span.
In a separate but related development, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Friday that “armed persons” aboard a small skiff approached a bulk carrier near Al-Mukala, Yemen, highlighting a wider pattern of maritime threats across the region.
Security officials further indicated that some of the armed groups involved in recent incidents are operating from areas near the fishing town of Caluula (Alula), located approximately 209 kilometres (130 miles) from the departure point linked to the MT Eureka seizure.
The renewed wave of piracy signals a widening operational footprint along Somalia’s extensive coastline, which stretches 3,333 kilometres (2,071 miles), the longest in mainland Africa.
Neither Somali authorities nor the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), which coordinates anti-piracy operations in Somali waters, have yet issued official statements regarding the latest hijacking.
Maritime analysts note that Somali piracy, which had significantly declined after 2011, has resurged since late 2023. The renewed instability has been linked to increased attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which diverted international naval patrols and created security gaps exploited by armed groups along Somalia’s coast.
“The on-going crisis with the pirates is much worse than many realize. There are increasing movements (of armed groups) all over the coast” a security official from the semi-autonomous Puntland region told the BBC.
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