The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued an urgent appeal for international action to secure the release of 44 seafarers being held hostage by Somali pirates, warning that the captives are facing worsening humanitarian conditions as piracy surges across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Addressing the opening of the IMO Council’s 137th session in London on Monday, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the seafarers are running critically low on food and water while living under the constant threat of violence aboard three hijacked vessels.
The crew members are being held on board the MT Honour 25, Eureka and Sward, which were seized in separate hijackings off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden between April and May.
“Their situation remains dire and I ask for your support in securing their safe release,” Dominguez told Council members. “These incidents are a stark reminder that the threat posed by piracy and armed robbery to seafarers has not receded and continues to warrant vigilance and support for coordinated action.”
His appeal comes amid a sharp resurgence in piracy following several years of relative decline. According to the IMO, 24 actual and attempted piracy and armed robbery incidents have been reported across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in the past three months alone, with attackers employing increasingly sophisticated weapons and escalating violence against merchant crews.
Dominguez also disclosed that another commercial vessel came under attack over the weekend.
“Yesterday, I was informed that a Palau-flagged vessel, Lady Naeima, a bulk carrier, was attacked in the Red Sea by pirates,” he said. “At the moment it is navigating towards the next destination and the crew is safe, but it is a reminder to flag States, shipowners and vessel operators to remain alert and use the Best Management Practices to combat these incidents.”
The latest attack mirrors a recent advisory from the Joint Maritime Information Center, which warned that the threat posed by hostile small craft remains elevated throughout the Gulf of Aden despite the onset of the south-west monsoon.
Although rougher seas have reduced the operating range of pirate skiffs offshore, coastal waters continue to offer favourable conditions for opportunistic attacks, particularly in established small-craft operating areas.
The advisory followed an armed attack in the southern Red Sea that underscored the ability of pirate groups to mount aggressive close-range approaches against commercial shipping.
Dominguez urged shipowners and vessel operators to continue implementing the industry’s Best Management Practices (BMP) and to carry out comprehensive risk assessments before transiting high-risk waters.
The IMO is continuing to strengthen regional maritime security through the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment, which brings together 22 countries across the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden to enhance cooperation, coordinate maritime security operations and build regional capacity.
Alongside his piracy warning, Dominguez welcomed signs of easing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, noting the wider impact of recent instability on global shipping.
“Seafarers have tragically lost their lives in connection with this conflict, and the impact has been felt well beyond the region, with real consequences for global trade, energy and food security,” he said. “I am encouraged that the situation now shows signs of improvement, and I hope that we will soon see affected crew members be brought to safety and for shipping trade in the area to be restored.”
According to IMO data, reported piracy and armed robbery incidents worldwide rose by 17 per cent in 2025, increasing to 171 cases from 146 the previous year.
The renewed wave of attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden highlights the growing security challenges confronting the global shipping industry as operators continue to navigate the combined threats of piracy, regional conflict and attacks on commercial vessels along one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.