Fresh concerns over the resurgence of piracy in regional waters have emerged after Somali pirates reportedly hijacked two commercial vessels in separate incidents near Yemen and Somalia, with 22 Indian nationals among the crew members aboard the ships.
One of the vessels, the Eritrean-flagged oil tanker Sibu 1, was seized in the Gulf of Aden while sailing near the Yemeni coast.
Reports indicate that six armed pirates boarded the tanker approximately 30 nautical miles off Yemen before taking control of the vessel and directing it toward waters off the Somali coast, particularly the Puntland region.
According to Hindustan Times, the tanker was carrying 20 crew members, all of whom were reported safe at the time of the incident.
Sixteen of the crew are Indian nationals, while the remaining sailors are from Syria, Sudan, and Iraq. The nationality of one crew member has not yet been confirmed.
Maritime security sources said the vessel was intercepted near the Qana port area and off the coast of Mukalla, roughly 136 miles from shore. Further details regarding the vessel’s current location and the condition of the crew are still being awaited.
The second incident involves the cargo ship Lutuv, which was hijacked by another group of armed men off the Puntland coast and is reportedly being held near Somalia’s Nugal coastline.
Maritime reports indicate that six of the vessel’s ten crew members are Indian nationals.
The seizure of Lutuv follows reports that armed pirates boarded the ship and forced it toward the Somali coast, raising fears that pirate groups operating in the region are becoming increasingly active once again.
The twin hijackings have renewed international concern about maritime security in the Gulf of Aden and along Somalia’s coastline, areas that were once among the world’s most dangerous shipping routes.
Authorities in India, Somalia, and international maritime security agencies are closely monitoring the situation as efforts continue to establish contact with the hijackers and secure the release of the vessels and their crews.
The incidents come amid a series of recent piracy-related attacks in waters near Somalia, fueling fears that organized pirate networks may be attempting a comeback after years of relative decline due to international naval patrols and enhanced maritime security measures.