Somali Pirates Hijack Yemeni Fishing Boat Off Somalia’s Coast, Crew Held Hostage

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A Yemeni fishing boat has been hijacked by suspected Somali pirates off Durdura, near Eyl, on the northern coast of Puntland, Somalia. According to EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, the incident took place on March 16 and has been officially classified as a hijacking.

Per reports, seven hijackers are aboard the fishing vessel, which has a crew of eight Somali nationals. Operation Atalanta, the European naval force responsible for monitoring maritime security in the region, is closely tracking the situation.

It is also coordinating with the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and the Yemeni Coast Guard to assess the next steps. This is the second such incident in the region this year.

On February 17, another fishing boat, SAYTUUN-2 was attacked by pirates and held for five days.

The crew was robbed before the attackers fled. However, unlike that case, which was initially classified as armed robbery, this incident has been labelled a hijacking.

Piracy incidents have increased in Somali waters in recent months. In December, pirates armed with AK-47s boarded a Chinese fishing vessel and held up to 18 crew members captive.

The Chinese embassy later confirmed that the ship was released in mid-January.

Before this latest hijacking, the last case classified as a hijacking by Operation Atalanta occurred in May 2024. The surge in piracy incidents began in late 2023 when the Houthis were attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea.

The European Union extended Operation Atalanta’s mandate until early 2027. The mission launched in 2008, has played an important role in combating piracy and has contributed to the capture and conviction of 145 pirates so far.

Operation Atalanta has urged all merchant and vulnerable vessels operating in the region to register under the Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) Voluntary Registration Scheme (VRS).

This will enable better