Somali Pirates Seize Sanctioned Oil Tanker Off Yemen
- On Thursday, six armed pirates hijacked the Eritrean-flagged oil tanker Sibu about 136 nautical miles east of al-Mukalla, Yemen, diverting it toward Somalia's Puntland coast. The vessel is sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for allegedly belonging to an Iranian "shadow fleet."
- This incident marks at least the 13th vessel attacked this year off Somalia or in the Gulf of Aden, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Only five such attacks occurred throughout 2025, signaling a dramatic resurgence in piracy.
- The Sibu carried 20 crew members, including 16 Indians, one Syrian, one Sudanese, and one Iraqi. Somali pirates accounted for 94% of crew members taken hostage during the first half of 2026, the International Maritime Bureau reported.
- Puntland's Security Ministry stated Friday that forces beyond their control are behind the piracy surge, while condemning airstrikes near Garacad on Aug. 18 and Aug. 20 that allegedly struck fishing vessels and property where hijacked ships were held.
- Naval assets previously focused on piracy have been diverted to the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea to counter Iran and its Houthi allies. Timothy Walker, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria, said piracy "was never really fully eradicated.
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Piracy off the coast of Yemen is increasing again. Somali pirates have now hijacked another oil tanker with 20 crew members.
(Rome=Yonhap News) Correspondent Min Kyung-rak = An oil tanker was hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of Yemen, AP reported, citing a Somali maritime security official on the 22...
Associated Press News
Somali pirates hijack oil tanker off Yemen in latest attack
Somali pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off Yemen, marking a resurgence in piracy. A Somali maritime security official says six armed pirates seized the Eritrean-flagged M.T.
Piracy Off Somalia Is Back at a Ten-Year High
Thirteen piracy incidents were recorded off Somalia in the first seven months of 2026, a ten-year high, and around twenty coastal states have agreed in principle to form a joint task force. The post Piracy Off Somalia Is Back at a Ten-Year High appeared first on The Rio Times.
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