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Recent Reported Incidents
Reported hijackings and attempted attacks off the Somali coast over the last two weeks.
Primary Sources
Somali piracy resurgence remains a coastal threat, for now
THREE confirmed hijackings and at least two attempted attacks in the past week alone off the northern Somali coast have confirmed what security analysts have been warning for months — a resurgent piracy threat.What started at the beginning of the year as a series of localised incidents has escalated to the point that there are now two confirmed pirate groups stalking the Somali coastline for targets.Isolated opportunism has effectively hardened into coordinated pirate activity.The latest seizure — a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargoship Sward (IMO: 9174244) was boarded by armed pirates while under way south of Eyl on the Somali coast on April 26.That hijacking was conducted using a dhow that the pirates had taken a day before further up the coast, then both vessels were directed into Somali territorial waters.On April 21, a Palau-flagged product tanker Honour 25 (IMO: 1099735) was hijacked as it was sailing about 45 nautical miles off Mareeyo.The spike in activity comes with the tell-tale signs of legacy piracy tactics like the use of hijacked dhows to act as motherships.For now, the incidents have stuck close to Somali coastal waters and the pattern of attacks suggest target selection is being driven by proximity and opportunity, rather than capability escalation.Operating in such confined coastal waters is partly tactical on the part of the pirates. It reduces reaction time, limits manoeuvring options and places vessels squarely within reach of shore-based intelligence and launch points.The hijacking of dhows as motherships, however, suggests that extending the range of attacks could be a possible escalation.According to the European Union naval force patrolling the region, the threat remains contained for the moment and this is not a full resurgence of Somalian piracy.“We do have two pirate action groups that managed to perform two successful attacks against unregistered and unprotected vessels close to the coast of Somalia,” conceded Captain Konstantinos Tsaprazis, head of the intelligence branch of EU’s naval operation Atalanta.“But in general, piracy in Somalia faces critical and fundamental issues and therefore cannot be regenerated,” he explained.The vessels taken to date have been operating close to the Somali coast and not following the established defensive operations outlined by the industry’s well established ‘best management practices’, known as BMPs.The further out the pirates venture, even with the use of motherships, the less likely it is t...
Piracy resurges off Somalia amid shipping crisis
Piracy is once again escalating off the coast of Somalia, with four incidents reported in just a few days, including two vessel hijackings. Authorities warn that the threat level is rising and urge merchant shipping to exercise extreme caution. According to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a cargo vessel located about six nautical miles northeast of Garacad was boarded by unauthorized individuals and redirected into Somali territorial waters. This marks the second hijacking reported within a week. Earlier, on April 21, the Palau-flagged product tanker Honour 25 was seized by six armed men approximately 30 nautical miles offshore. The vessel, carrying 18,500 barrels of oil and a crew of 17, was subsequently moved deeper into Somali waters. Additional incidents include the hijacking of a Somali-flagged fishing vessel near Xaafuun and an attempted armed boarding reported off Eyl. In response, the Joint Maritime Information Center has raised the threat level for the Somali coast and basin to “substantial,” indicating a strong likelihood of further attacks. The resurgence comes at a time of broader regional instability. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, leaving hundreds of vessels and thousands of seafarers stranded. At the same time, concerns persist over potential renewed threats in the Red Sea. Somali piracy last peaked in 2011, when more than 200 attacks were recorded in a single year. The latest developments raise concerns that the region may be entering a new cycle of heightened maritime insecurity.
Spikes in piracy near Somalia further threaten maritime shipments
A resurgence of piracy off Somalia has led to multiple vessel hijackings, heightening security risks for global shipping and threatening key maritime routes.
Somalia: piracy resurgence threatens tanker routes
A Somalia piracy resurgence is raising new concerns for maritime security after several vessels were hijacked off the northeastern coast in April 2026. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), armed individuals seized control of an oil tanker around 45 nautical miles from Mareeyo before redirecting it into Somali waters.
