The Resurgence of piracy in Somalia’s coastline ?

Somali pirates are believed to have orchestrated the fourth attack on a vessel in a month. Security officials are confirming reports that a Yemeni fishing boat was hijacked and was last seen in Somali waters over the weekend.

The UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO) confirmed an earlier, unconfirmed report that a Yemeni fishing vessel was hijacked. According to local authorities, the fishing boat Emerat-2 was last seen heading north along the Yemeni coast.

The vessel was described as 58 feet (17.7 meters) long with a white hull. It is unknown how many passengers were on board.

The vessel’s last known position was approximately 8 miles north of  Eyl, on Somalia’s southwestern coast, which faces the Arabian Sea. It is located in the self-proclaimed autonomous Puntland region.

It is the same area from which the other recent pirate attacks that occurred earlier in December originated. According to some media reports, the fishing boat was found near the island of Socotra.

Previously, it was reported that pirates controlled the island. EUNAVFOR stated that they believed the threat posed by the first hijacked fishing boat had been resolved, but Somali pirates have been reported to have unsuccessfully attacked the tanker Central Park and seized a Navibulgar bulker a week and a half ago.

While the boarders were apprehended by the US Navy as they attempted to flee the tanker, pirates are thought to still control the bulker Ruen. According to a statement released today by the Myanmar Seafarers Association (MSF), the families have yet to make contact with crew members aboard the Ruen.

They reported that the families are concerned because they have not been able to confirm the situation on board the ship. The UKMTO requests that vessels report any suspicious activity, particularly if pirates use the smaller ship as a base.

According to EUNAVFOR, the last confirmed piracy incident in the region occurred in 2019. Most commercial vessel attacks occurred before 2014, with only two vessels seized and released in 2017 and one unsuccessful attempt in 2018.