Somali pirates hijack tanker off Yemen as piracy surge continues

Somali pirates have seized an oil products tanker off Yemen and taken it toward Somalia, marking the sixth commercial vessel hijacked since April as attacks in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean continue to increase.

Six armed pirates captured the Eritrean-flagged M.T. Sibu 1 on Thursday, around 136 nautical miles (252 kilometres) east of Yemen’s al-Mukalla, a Somali maritime security official told The Associated Press.

The pirates were reportedly taking the tanker toward Somalia’s Puntland coast. The official spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to discuss the incident publicly.

The Sibu 1 is managed by UAE-based Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management. The US Treasury Department sanctioned the vessel last year, alleging that it was part of an Iranian “shadow fleet” involved in transporting petroleum products while evading US sanctions.

There were 20 crew members on board when the tanker was seized. They included 16 Indians, one Syrian, one Sudanese and one Iraqi crew member. The nationality of another crew member was not immediately known.

The ship‍‍`s previous port and destination were also unclear.

The latest hijacking came only three days after pirates seized the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship Lutuf off Somalia’s coast. The vessel had 10 crew members, including six Indians, one Turkish national, one Georgian national and two Serbian security guards, according to maritime tracking information.

The Sibu 1 is the sixth commercial ship seized by Somali pirates since April 21, when the Palau-flagged tanker Honor 25 was hijacked off Somalia.

Other vessels seized since then include the Sward on April 26, the Eureka on May 2, the Asana on July 17 and the Lutuf on August 17.

The recent attacks have also moved farther from Somalia’s coastline. The Eureka was seized while anchored off Yemen, while the Asana was hijacked about 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) southwest of al-Mukalla.

The International Maritime Bureau recorded 38 piracy and armed robbery incidents around the world during the first six months of 2026, including five hijackings. Somali pirates were responsible for 94% of crew members taken hostage during that period, the bureau said.

Puntland’s Security Ministry said Friday that its initial investigation indicated that forces outside its control were behind the renewed piracy. It did not name any group or country, and the claim could not be independently verified.

Puntland said it had deployed security forces along its coastline and also condemned reported airstrikes near coastal communities where hijacked ships were being held.

The ministry called on the countries involved to explain strikes reportedly carried out near Garacad on August 18 and 20. It did not say who conducted the strikes, and the allegations could not be independently confirmed.