An energy transport ship flying a Tanzanian flag has been hijacked by suspected Somali pirates in the waters off the coast of Yemen.
Local government officials and security sources confirmed that the vessel, named the MT ASANA, was intercepted on Friday shortly after it sailed from the Yemeni port city of Mukalla. The commercial oil tanker has since been forced into waters near the northeastern Bari region of Somalia.
According to security personnel speaking on the condition of anonymity, a group of seven heavily armed pirates carried out the boarding. The ship is currently being held near Caluula, a coastal town situated in the semi-autonomous territory of Puntland.
Satellite vessel tracking data showed the tanker moving through the Gulf of Aden at an exceptionally low speed of around two knots. The unusual speed matched information from maritime agencies stating that the crew had transmitted an emergency distress signal during the initial assault.
The tracking system initially showed that the commercial ship had listed the Somali port of Bosaso as its official destination before the hijackers altered its path.
It remains unclear how many crew members were on board the commercial vessel when the armed gang took control. Maritime authorities have not yet released details regarding the nationalities of the crew or whether any sailors suffered injuries during the boarding.
The regional government of Puntland has declined to comment publicly on the ongoing situation. Similarly, the corporate owners and operators of the MT ASANA have not issued an official update, whilst international naval fleets patrolling the area are still reviewing the incident.
The hijacking marks the latest flare-up in a series of maritime raids attributed to Somali criminal networks. Pirate activity has returned to the Gulf of Aden and the western stretches of the Indian Ocean following a long period of relative peace at sea.
Global shipping experts state that the sudden rise in ocean raids is linked to a drop in international naval patrols. Foreign warships have recently shifted focus to manage separate conflicts in nearby routes, creating security gaps that criminal gangs are now exploiting.
