Oil tanker hijacked off coast of Yemen and taken towards Somalia
Somali pirates have hijacked the oil tanker MT Eureka off the coast of Yemen, directing it toward Somalia, according to Somali security officials. This marks the second oil tanker hijacking in the region within 10 days, highlighting a resurgence in piracy along Somalia's coastline. The increase in attacks has been linked to a security vacuum caused by international navies focusing on Houthi threats in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
- ▪The MT Eureka was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen's port of Qana and is being taken toward Somalia.
- ▪This is the fourth successful pirate hijacking in two weeks, including the earlier seizure of the Honor 25 carrying 18,500 barrels of oil.
- ▪Piracy in Somalia has surged since late 2023 due to international naval focus shifting to counter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
- ▪Armed groups approached another vessel near Al-Mukala, Yemen, indicating piracy is spreading along Somalia’s 3,333km coastline.
- ▪The MT Eureka was sailing under the flag of Togo and was attacked at 5:00 AM local time in the Gulf of Aden.
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Oil tanker hijacked off coast of Yemen and taken towards SomaliaJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMohamed GabobeMogadishu, SomaliaGetty ImagesGulf of Aden (file photo)Somali pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, according to multiple Somali security officials that spoke with the BBC.The Yemeni coastguard earlier said the tanker MT Eureka had been hijacked and was headed towards Somalia. Sources said it was overrun by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, near the port of Qana.The pirates departed a remote coastal area near the seaside town of Qandala, which sits on the Gulf of Aden, according to three separate security officials from the semi-autonomous Puntland region who spoke with the BBC.It marks the second hijacking of an oil tanker in the area in a 10-day…
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