A US-sanctioned oil tanker hijacked by Somali pirates has been rescued by Puntland forces in Somalia after a 48-hour operation.
All 20 crew members are safe, authorities in the semi-autonomous Puntland region said on Friday, September 25.
Sibu 1, also known as Seamull, was seized on August 20 by six armed men, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The tanker was later taken into Somali waters.
The vessel was sanctioned by the US Treasury in December over allegations that it was part of a shadow fleet helping Iranian petroleum products evade US sanctions.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) said its forces and the Puntland Navy carried out a planned operation lasting 48 hours to recover the tanker and arrest the pirates.
The force said the tanker was flying the Eritrean flag when it was captured. It was recovered off the coast of the Mudug region after being taken from waters east
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