An oil tanker was hijacked off Yemen’s southern coast and is being steered toward Somali waters, Yemen’s coast guard said on Saturday, according to Reuters.
The coast guard said unidentified armed men boarded the M/T EUREKA tanker off Shabwa province, seized control of the vessel, and redirected it toward the Gulf of Aden in the direction of Somalia. Authorities added that the ship’s location has been identified and efforts are underway to track it, recover the vessel, and ensure the safety of its crew.
The incident comes amid a renewed surge in maritime insecurity in the region. Earlier this week, a European Union naval mission warned that the ongoing war in Iran is contributing to a spike in piracy off Somalia’s coast.
At least three hijackings were confirmed in the past week alone, with pirates boarding two cargo vessels and a tanker, according to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations.
The International Maritime Bureau warned that “the capability and intent of Somali pirate groups remains real,” cautioning that attackers may continue probing vessels to assess security measures.
While incidents are increasing, EU Navfor noted that piracy is currently “being contained, rather than eradicated,” and has not yet reached the levels seen in the 2010s, Bloomberg reported.
