Suspected pirates have hijacked a cargo vessel off the coast of Somalia, the second such attack in less than a week. The ship is heading towards the Somali coastline, reports Todayinfo.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the Sward was hijacked 6 nautical miles (11 km) northeast of the Somali coastal town of Garacad. The vessel was carrying cement from Suez, Egypt, to the Kenyan port city of Mombasa and was flying the flag of St Kitts and Nevis.
British maritime security group Vanguard said the ship's 15-person crew comprised two Indian nationals and 13 Syrians. “The vessel is currently assessed to be under pirate control and proceeding toward the Somali coastline,” it said.
An operations officer from the Puntland Maritime Police Force confirmed that nine pirates had boarded the Sward and taken control. “The ship is currently under the control of armed men, and we are monitoring the situation,” he said.
Somali pirates caused havoc in the waters off the Horn of Africa from 2008 to 2018. International naval patrols and improved maritime security greatly reduced their attacks. However, pirate activity started to pick up again in late 2023 during a decline in anti-piracy patrols and the relocation of funds to counter the threat posed by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The attacks come as maritime routes already face severe disruptions due to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war on Iran. Some ships have been diverted to the Suez Canal or taken the much longer journey around the Cape of Good Hope in Southern Africa.
