The oil tanker MT Eureka was hijacked early this morning near the port of Qana in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen's coast by Somali pirates and is being taken toward Somalia [1].
MT Eureka was sailing under the flag of Togo when the pirates seized the vessel around 5:00 AM local time, near the Somali town of Qandala on the Puntland coast [1]. This incident occurred in waters between Yemen and Somalia, a maritime area known for piracy activity [1].
This hijacking marks the fourth successful pirate seizure off Somalia’s coast in just two weeks, highlighting a recent surge in piracy incidents after years of decline following 2011 [1]. The increase is attributed to a security gap as international navies shift focus from Somali piracy to countering Houthi rebel attacks in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea [1].
The incident comes 13 days after Somali pirates seized the oil tanker Honor 25 on April 22, which was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil destined for Mogadishu [1].
Pirate attacks are expanding along Somalia’s entire coastline, which stretches 3,333 km (2,071 miles), the longest mainland African coast [1]. In a separate event, armed men on a skiff approached a bulk carrier near Al-Mukala, Yemen, showing increased pirate activity in the region [1].
Authorities and shipping companies are monitoring the situation closely as MT Eureka is taken deeper into pirate-controlled Somali waters.
No further details on the crew or negotiations have been released. Naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden remain active but face challenges amid regional security complexities [1].
