IMO Calls for Urgent Release of 44 Seafarers Held by Pirates in Somali Waters

GOOBJOOG NEWS|LONDON: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has appealed for urgent international action to secure the release of 44 seafarers being held captive by pirates and armed groups in Somali waters, warning that the crews face deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

Speaking during the 137th session of the IMO Council in London, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the seafarers have spent months in captivity and are running critically low on food and water while living under the constant threat of violence.

The captives are being held aboard three vessels—MT Honour 25, Eureka and Sward—which were hijacked in separate attacks off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden between April and May this year.

“These incidents are a stark reminder that the threat posed by piracy and armed robbery to seafarers has not receded and continues to warrant vigilance and support for coordinated action,” Dominguez told the IMO Council. He urged member states and maritime stakeholders to support efforts aimed at securing the crews’ safe release.

The IMO chief also called on shipowners and vessel operators to strengthen security measures by implementing Best Management Practices for Maritime Security and conducting thorough risk assessments before sailing through high-risk areas.

Rise in Maritime Attacks

The appeal comes amid a renewed surge in piracy and armed robbery targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

According to the IMO, 24 attempted and successful piracy-related incidents have been recorded in the region over the past three months alone, with attackers increasingly using more dangerous weapons and employing higher levels of violence.

Globally, reported cases of piracy and armed robbery at sea rose by 17 percent between 2024 and 2025, increasing from 146 to 171 incidents.

The IMO said it continues to support regional anti-piracy initiatives through the Djibouti Code of Conduct and the Jeddah Amendment, which bring together 22 coastal and island states in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden to improve maritime security cooperation and strengthen regional response capacity.

The IMO Council is meeting at the organization’s headquarters in London from July 6 to 10 to discuss global maritime safety and security, among other issues.