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Somali Pirates Hijack Tanker ASANA
MOGADISHU – Somali pirates hijacked the oil tanker ASANA off Yemen’s eastern coast on Friday, marking the fourth vessel seizure in recent months and signalling a troubling resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden. The Tanzanian-flagged chemical tanker was attacked approximately 26 nautical miles off the coast of Hadramout province and is now being sailed […] The post Somali Pirates Hijack Ta
Somali pirates hijacked the oil tanker ASANA off Yemen’s eastern coast, marking the fourth vessel seizure in recent months.
What was announced
- The Tanzanian-flagged chemical tanker was attacked approximately 26 nautical miles off the coast of Hadramout province.
- The hijacking is part of a troubling resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden, with 18 piracy-related incidents recorded since April.
- Seven gunmen seized the vessel after departing from a remote area near the Puntland port town of Garacad.
Context
The hijacking follows a series of attacks that have disrupted over a decade of relative calm in the region.
“Naval units, including a Yemeni Coast Guard patrol boat, were heading toward the tanker while aerial surveillance missions monitored the situation.”
Why this matters: This incident highlights the renewed threat of piracy in waters critical for global trade, affecting maritime safety and security.
Reader briefing
Article context
What happened
- Somali pirates hijacked the oil tanker ASANA off Yemen’s eastern coast, marking the fourth vessel seizure in recent months and indicating a resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden.
Key claims
- The tanker was attacked approximately 26 nautical miles off the coast of Hadramout province.
- The Yemeni Coast Guard reported that the tanker is being sailed slowly southeast toward the Somali coast.
- Three Puntland security officials claimed that seven gunmen seized the vessel after departing from near Garacad.
- This incident follows another hijacking of the MT Eureka near the port of Qana in May.
Source limitations
- The article relies on reports from the Yemeni Coast Guard and Puntland security officials, which are not independently verified.
- There is no response from the pirates or any other parties involved in the hijacking.
- The article does not provide details on the current status of the crew aboard the ASANA.
Reader takeaway
The hijacking of the ASANA signals a worrying trend in piracy that could disrupt maritime activities in the Gulf of Aden.
What remains unclear
- What actions will be taken by international maritime authorities in response to this hijacking?
- What is the current status of the crew on board the ASANA?
- How will this resurgence of piracy affect shipping routes in the region?
Why it matters
The article highlights a troubling resurgence of piracy in an area previously considered stable, which could impact maritime security and shipping operations.
Original report with a saved translation · English
English · Machine translated · Not human reviewed
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Original source text
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MOGADISHU – Somali pirates hijacked the oil tanker ASANA off Yemen’s eastern coast on Friday, marking the fourth vessel seizure in recent months and signalling a troubling resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden .
The Tanzanian-flagged chemical tanker was attacked approximately 26 nautical miles off the coast of Hadramout province and is now being sailed slowly southeast toward the Somali coast, according to the Yemeni Coast Guard . The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) separately reported an “illegal boarding” about 65 nautical miles south of the port of Al Mukalla .
The hijacking is the latest in a series of attacks that have shattered more than a decade of relative calm in waters once notorious for piracy . Between 2005 and 2012, Somali pirates carried out over 1,000 attacks and collected an estimated $400 million in ransom payments before an international naval crackdown sharply reduced the threat . The shipping industry formally removed the Indian Ocean from its “high risk” designation in 2023 , but piracy has resurged this year, with the French navy’s MICA Center recording 18 piracy-related incidents since April .
The Yemeni Coast Guard said its operations centre immediately began coordinating with international partners and maritime authorities to verify the vessel’s status and support efforts to ensure navigational safety .
Source noteWhy this story appears
This report is shown because it came from Warkasta’s monitored source network and matches the current section, recency, and coverage labels.
Why this story appears
This report is shown because it came from Warkasta’s monitored source network and matches the current section, recency, and coverage labels.
- Source count
- 1
- Sources used
- Radio Dalsan
- Language mix
- English
- Translation status
- Shown in its original language
- AI synthesis
- No AI synthesis is used for this story panel
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