Yemen reports hijacked oil tanker headed for Somalia
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Yemen’s Coast Guard is attempting to recover the oil tanker M/T Eureka, hijacked off southeastern Shabwa province and now heading towards Somalia, with the crew’s fate currently unknown.
- The hijacking is part of a recent surge in piracy near Somalia, attributed to naval forces being distracted by the US-Israeli war on Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
- The UK Maritime Trade Operations has raised the piracy threat level along the Somali coast to “substantial,” urging vessels to transit with caution amid increasing attacks.
- Piracy off Somalia, once nearly eradicated by international naval coalitions by 2014, has been rising again since 2023, partly due to anti-piracy patrols being redirected to address threats in the Red Sea.
- Yemen’s Coast Guard is collaborating with international partners to recover the tanker but faces limitations due to the country’s severe economic challenges.
