Maritime authorities are warning of a rising threat to commercial shipping off the coast of Somalia after a cargo vessel became the latest ship seized in a suspected piracy incident.
UK Maritime Trade Operations raised the regional threat level to “substantial” after reporting that unauthorised persons boarded the vessel and redirected it toward Somali territorial waters on Sunday.
According to maritime security reports, at least four vessels have been targeted in suspected piracy attacks during the past week, including a fishing vessel, an oil tanker, and cargo ships.
The latest hijacking reportedly took place around six nautical miles off Garacad. Authorities have not yet released additional information regarding the crew or the condition of the vessel.
UKMTO also issued a separate alert over another hijacking that occurred near Mareeyo on April 21.
In a separate case, the oil tanker Honour 25 was hijacked on April 22 while sailing near the Somali coast. The vessel was carrying 17 crew members, including nationals from Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. Security officials said the tanker later anchored close to shore between Xaafuun and Bandar Beyla.
Authorities also reported that a Somali-flagged fishing vessel was seized on Thursday.
In another attempted attack the same day, at least two armed men in a small boat tried to board a cargo ship. The suspects retreated after the ship’s crew fired warning shots.
Piracy off the Somali coast had sharply declined in recent years after reaching global attention in the late 2000s. However, attacks have resurged over the last three years, raising new concerns for international shipping routes in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.
The World Bank previously estimated that between 2005 and 2012, Somali piracy generated between $339 million and $413 million through ransom payments, with many crew members held hostage for extended periods.
