Pirates Seize Oil Tanker Near Somali Coast

An oil tanker, Honour 25, carrying 18,500 barrels of oil and a crew of 17, has been hijacked by pirates off the Somali coast. The vessel was overtaken late on Wednesday by six gunmen when it was about 30 nautical miles offshore. The ship had departed from Berbera on February 20 and was en route to Mogadishu.

This hijacking signals a disturbing comeback of piracy in the Indian Ocean, an area that was once notorious for such incidents but had largely seen them disappear until three years ago. Security officials reported that five more armed men have since boarded the tanker, which is now anchored near the Somali shore. The nationalities of the crew include Pakistanis, Indonesians, an Indian, a Sri Lankan, and a person from Myanmar.

Officials suspect the hijackers launched their operation from a remote area near Bander Beyla. The exact method used to intercept and control the oil tanker remains unclear. Neither Somali authorities nor the European Naval Force, responsible for anti-piracy operations in these waters, have issued official statements regarding the incident. The seizure increases anxiety in Mogadishu, where petrol prices have already tripled.