Pirates hijack second tanker off Yemen in the Gulf of Aden

Pirates have hijacked a tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, according to a UK maritime safety organisation (UKMTO) and Somali security officials.

According to UKMTO, a vessel was boarded by unauthorised personnel as it sailed east, and other ships have been advised to transit with caution. Officials from Somalia's semi‑autonomous Puntland region confirmed the attackers were Somali.

This is the second vessel hijacked off Yemen this year, the first being MT Eureka seized near Qana in May. Earlier in April two other ships were boarded by pirates in the Indian Ocean.

Following a concerted security operation involving several navies, piracy in the Gulf of Aden had almost disappeared three years ago, but a new wave of attacks is now being reported.

Three Puntland security officials identified the hijacked tanker as MT Astana, a Tanzanian‑flagged vessel bound for Bosaso. The attackers, estimated seven gunmen, left a remote area near Puntland port town of Garacad before heading to the Gulf of Aden.

While the EU Naval Force patrols the Indian Ocean heavily, the Gulf of Aden is less protected, making it a more attractive area for pirates.