A Yemeni-flagged fishing vessel was hijacked off Durdura near Eyl, Somalia, on March 16, with seven suspected pirates currently holding eight Somali crew members aboard.
The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) ATALANTA, the EU’s counter-piracy operation, has classified the incident as a hijacking and is coordinating response efforts with the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and the Yemeni Coast Guard.
This incident is the latest in a string of piracy attacks in the region. Just last month, the Yemeni dhow SAYTUUN-2 was hijacked and later released on February 24.
Another vessel, the AL NAJMA, was freed by EUNAVFOR forces on February 14, following its capture on February 8.
Maritime security experts warn that pirates often repurpose captured dhows as “mother ships,” enabling them to extend their operational range deep into the Indian Ocean, posing a greater threat to commercial and fishing vessels alike.
Since November 2023, piracy activity off the coast of Somalia has surged, with Operation ATALANTA documenting multiple incidents throughout 2024.
These include four merchant vessel boardings and two significant hijackings, highlighting the ongoing risk to maritime traffic in the area.
Security analysts have raised concerns that successful ransom payments could incentivize further attacks on commercial vessels, exacerbating the security challenges in the region.
In light of these developments, EUNAVFOR has strongly urged vulnerable vessels to register with the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean’s Voluntary Registration Scheme to enable more effective monitoring and faster responses to maritime security threats.
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