Armed pirates have hijacked an oil tanker carrying 17 crew members off the coast of Somalia, raising fresh concerns about the return of maritime insecurity in the region.
The vessel, identified as Honour 25, was attacked late Wednesday night by six gunmen while sailing about 30 nautical miles from the Somali shoreline, according to security officials who spoke to the BBC.
The tanker, which was transporting approximately 18,500 barrels of oil, had departed from the port of Berbera in Somaliland on February 20. It later moved toward waters near the United Arab Emirates before reversing course earlier this month and heading toward Mogadishu.
Under pirate control, the ship is now anchored near the Somali coast between the fishing towns of Xaafun and Bander Beyla. Reports indicate that five additional armed men have since boarded the vessel, bringing the total number of hijackers to at least eleven.
The crew onboard includes nationals from several countries: 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, and one each from India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.
Security sources believe the attackers launched their operation from a remote area near Bander Beyla, though it remains unclear how they successfully intercepted and seized the tanker.
This incident highlights a worrying resurgence of piracy in Somali waters. After years of decline following international naval interventions around 2011, attacks have gradually re-emerged in recent years, targeting fishing vessels and commercial ships.
The hijacking is also expected to impact fuel supply in Mogadishu, where petrol prices have already surged sharply amid global tensions linked to the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.
