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Somali pirates hijack oil tanker off Yemen in latest attack
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Somali pirates hijacked the Eritrean-flagged oil products tanker M.T. Sibu 1 off Yemen, marking the sixth commercial vessel seized since April in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean region.
- The tanker, managed by UAE-based Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management and sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury last year for links to an Iranian "shadow fleet," had 20 crew members from various nationalities aboard.
- Recent piracy incidents have extended far from Somalia’s coast, with ships seized near Yemen and the Gulf of Aden, highlighting a resurgence in Somali piracy activity.
- Puntland’s Security Ministry suggested forces beyond its control are behind the piracy resurgence and condemned recent airstrikes near coastal communities where hijacked vessels are held, though no group or country was identified.
- The International Maritime Bureau reported Somali pirates were responsible for 94% of crew members taken hostage in the first half of 2026, underscoring the ongoing threat to maritime security in the region.
