Cargo Vessel Hijacked Off Somalia as Piracy Fears Rise

GOOBJOOG NEWS|PUNTLAND: A cargo vessel has reportedly been hijacked off Somalia’s northeastern coast near the port town of Garacad, in what appears to be the latest sign of renewed pirate activity in the waters off the Horn of Africa.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors maritime security incidents, said it received a report that unauthorized persons had taken control of the vessel approximately six nautical miles northeast of Garacad. The ship was then redirected into Somali territorial waters. Authorities are continuing investigations.

UKMTO warned commercial vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity, citing an increased threat of possible pirate action group activity.

The incident comes only days after another reported hijacking involving the tanker Honour 25, which was seized off Somalia’s coast last week. According to maritime reports, armed men boarded the tanker carrying fuel and moved it southward into Somali waters, raising fresh concerns among shipping operators and regional security officials.

Maritime analysts say the two incidents within a single week, alongside reports of an attempted armed boarding near Eyl and a hijacked fishing vessel near Xaafuun, suggest pirate networks may be attempting a comeback after years of decline.

Somali piracy once posed one of the world’s most serious maritime threats between 2008 and 2012, when hundreds of vessels were attacked and crews held for ransom. The menace sharply declined following international naval patrols, onboard security teams, and improved coastal enforcement.

However, recent instability in Red Sea shipping lanes, stretched naval resources, and weak maritime policing along parts of Somalia’s coastline have fueled fears that criminal groups are exploiting new opportunities.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the latest hijacking, and the condition of the crew remains unclear.