A fuel tanker carrying petroleum products has reportedly been hijacked by suspected Somali pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia, according to local officials and British maritime authorities.
The vessel was seized on Wednesday in waters between the coastal towns of Hafun and Bandarbeyla in Puntland’s Bari region, while en route from the Somaliland port city of Berbera to the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, confirmed the incident, saying unauthorized individuals had boarded the vessel and taken control of its navigation while operating within Somali waters.
The tanker is reportedly owned by Pakistani businessmen and was carrying a shipment of fuel. Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact number of crew members on board or their nationalities.
There has been no official information on the condition of the crew, and no group has publicly claimed responsibility for the hijacking. Investigations are ongoing.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over a resurgence of piracy in waters off Somalia and across the wider western Indian Ocean.
After years of decline following an international naval crackdown, Somali piracy has shown signs of re-emerging in recent months. Security analysts say pirate networks have been attempting to exploit reduced naval patrols and regional instability to target commercial vessels transiting one of the world’s busiest maritime routes.
The Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia are a critical shipping corridor linking Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Any increase in piracy activity raises concerns for global trade, shipping costs, and maritime security across the Horn of Africa.
Authorities are continuing efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the hijacking and secure the release of the vessel and its crew.