Armed pirates hijack gasoline tanker off Eyl
A Somali piracy attack targeted the Hellas Aphrodite, a Malta-flagged tanker operated by Latsco Marine Management, while it was sailing from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa. The vessel was intercepted about 550 nautical miles off Eyl, Somalia. Armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, the assailants boarded the ship early Thursday. All 24 crew members—including five Greeks—secured themselves inside the citadel. Latsco confirmed that everyone is safe and that emergency coordination with authorities is ongoing.
Renewed concerns over Somali piracy resurgence
The hijacking of the Hellas Aphrodite marks the first successful seizure of a commercial vessel off Somalia in more than a year. The EU’s Operation Atalanta confirmed a naval asset was nearby, ready to respond. British private security firm Ambrey identified the attackers as Somali pirates who had reportedly hijacked an Iranian fishing vessel, Issamohamadi, to use as a mothership. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the pirates opened fire with small arms and RPGs before boarding.
Rising maritime threats amid regional instability
Somali piracy, which reached a peak in 2011 with 237 attacks costing the global economy around $7 billion, has resurfaced after years of decline. Experts link this resurgence to broader insecurity in the region, particularly Red Sea disruptions caused by Houthi rebel attacks on merchant ships. The International Maritime Bureau recorded seven piracy incidents off Somalia in 2024, underscoring the renewed risks to vessels navigating the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.
