Armed assailants attacked a commercial tanker off the coast of Mogadishu on Monday, firing at the vessel after attempting to board the ship in the first suspected Somali piracy incident of its kind since 2024.
The vessel, the Cayman Islands-flagged chemical tanker Stolt Sagaland, was sailing 332 nautical miles off the Somali coast when four armed attackers approached in a skiff and opened fire.
The crew raised the alarm, increased speed, and conducted evasive maneuvers, while the embarked armed security team responded effectively, deterring the attack and preventing any damage or injury.
The European Union’s naval mission said it was investigating the incident and had received an alert about the possible presence of a pirate action group around the Somali coast. Ships transiting the area were advised to exercise extreme caution and maintain full vigilance.
This incident raises concerns about the security of critical energy and goods transported through the region, particularly in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where sailings have slumped due to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militia.
