Yemeni Maritime Authority Reports Pirate Hijacking of Tanzanian-Flagged Vessel

The Yemeni Maritime Authority stated that data related to the incident involving a Tanzanian-flagged vessel indicate a clear maritime piracy operation aimed at seizing the ship and its crew to demand ransom.

According to the Regional Maritime Information Exchange Center under the General Authority for Maritime Affairs in the temporary capital Aden, the Maritime Operations Center received a confirmed report at 06:20 GMT (09:20 Aden time) on Friday morning. The report indicated that unauthorized individuals boarded the tanker and took full control while it was sailing eastward in the Gulf of Aden.

The center added that ship tracking systems showed a sudden sharp change in the tanker’s course after the takeover, heading toward the Somali coast, specifically toward the port of Bosaso in the Puntland region.

The tanker, flying the Tanzanian flag and carrying the international number IMO 9035838, was attacked approximately 65 nautical miles south of the city of Mukalla in open waters while transiting the international shipping lane eastward, the center reported.

The Regional Maritime Center explained that the breach occurred when armed individuals, suspected to be part of a maritime piracy group, boarded the vessel. The ship issued a distress call immediately after the incident.

Information available indicated that there was no private armed security team on board the tanker at the time of the attack, which increased its vulnerability in an area classified as a high-risk maritime zone.

According to the center, the vessel remains fully under the control of the armed assailants. Regional and international efforts are ongoing to verify the status and safety of the crew through relevant maritime and intelligence channels.

The center emphasized the importance of commercial ships adhering to recommended maritime security procedures when passing through high-risk areas. It called for enhanced preventive measures and continuous coordination with maritime authorities to ensure the safety of international navigation in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.