In brief
The MT Asana, a Tanzanian‑flagged tanker bound for Bosaso, was boarded by seven gunmen off Yemen on Friday, according to UK maritime safety authorities and Puntland officials. The attack marks the second hijacking in the Gulf of Aden in 90 days, following the seizure of the MT Eureka near Qana in May and earlier attempts in April. Maritime patrols by the EU Naval Force and local Puntland forces have become less frequent in the Gulf of Aden, creating a security gap. Experts say the pirates’ choice of target likely reflects this reduced protection and the appeal of shipping routes toward the Horn of Africa.
On Friday, the Tanzanian‑flagged tanker MT Asana was boarded by a crew of seven suspected pirate gunmen 65 nautical miles off the Yemeni coast. The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UKMTO) confirmed the “unauthorised personnel” intrusion while the semi‑autonomous Puntland region in Somalia reported the hijack as carried out by local pirates.
The MT Asana had been sailing eastward toward Bosaso, the commercial hub of Puntland, when the attack occurred. According to Puntland officials, the cadres began their operation from a remote area near the port town of Garacad before heading into the Gulf of Aden.
This hijacking is the second in the Gulf of Aden within three months. The first was the seizure of the MT Eureka near the Yemeni port of Qana in May, and earlier this year two other vessels were boarded in the Indian Ocean. Analysts note that piracy has on‑the‑rise following a brief period of relative quiet that ended about three years ago, when a coordinated international naval campaign had reduced attacks dramatically.
The European Union Naval Force monitors the Indian Ocean, but the Gulf of Aden remains less protected, a gap that pirates are exploiting. Ship owners are being advised to transit with caution and to consider alternative routes where feasible.
In the meantime, maritime security agencies are evaluating ways to strengthen patrols in the Gulf of Aden and to improve intelligence sharing with regional authorities, in an effort to curb the resurgence of piracy and protect commercial shipping lanes vital to global trade and regional economies.
