Mogadishu (KAAB TV) – The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Somalia, under Operation Atalanta, announced that it is jointly monitoring a group of suspected pirates believed to be responsible for a series of attacks that occurred off the Somali coast last week.
According to officials, there is no immediate threat to commercial shipping lanes, but merchant vessels have been urged to remain alert.
In a statement shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Operation Atalanta confirmed that the group remains active in the region but is under continuous surveillance and tracking by international naval forces.
The mission emphasized that coordination between naval assets and maritime security centers is ongoing to prevent further incidents.
The maritime risk management company Ambrey also reported on Tuesday that a hijacked dhow named Issamohamadi—allegedly used in the recent pirate attacks—is now under the protection of the Indian Navy.
The Indian forces reportedly intercepted the vessel and are escorting it toward Somali territorial waters for further investigation and potential handover to local authorities.
Ambrey assessed the risk to merchant vessels as low, citing the strong naval presence in the area, particularly from the Indian Navy and Operation Atalanta assets. Nevertheless, ship operators transiting the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden have been advised to maintain heightened vigilance and report any suspicious activity to regional maritime security centers.
Since November 2, Operation Atalanta has recorded multiple piracy-related incidents along the Somali coast. The most significant attack targeted the oil tanker MR Hellas Aphrodite, owned by the Greek shipping company Latsco.
During the incident, armed men attempted to board the vessel, but the crew of 24 seafarers secured themselves in the ship’s citadel until an international naval response team arrived.
The coordinated operation led to the safe release of the ship and crew, without casualties.
The International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (ICC IMB) noted last month that there had been no confirmed piracy attacks off Somalia for a prolonged period, marking continued improvement in maritime security in the region.
The IMB cautioned that piracy remains a latent threat, highlighting that 26 seafarers were kidnapped in two separate incidents involving fishing vessels earlier this year.
Experts say the renewed reports of pirate activity underscore the fragile security situation in the Horn of Africa, where socioeconomic instability and limited coastal governance continue to provide opportunities for maritime crime.
Naval forces, including those from the EU, India, and other coalition partners, maintain a presence in the region to deter such threats and ensure the safety of international shipping routes through the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.