Somali pirates hijack Tanzanian tanker off Yemen, move it to Puntland waters

Mogadishu,UPDATED: Jul 19, 2026 14:40 IST

Suspected Somali pirates hijacked a Tanzanian-flagged tanker off Yemen's coast and moved it to waters off Somalia's northeastern Bari region, security sources and local officials familiar with the incident said on Sunday.

The vessel, MT ASANA, a general tanker, was seized on Friday after departing from Mukalla, Yemen. Local officials said it is now being held off the coast of Caluula in Puntland's semiautonomous Bari region.

According to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, seven armed Somali pirates hijacked the ship. Public vessel-tracking data showed the MT ASANA transmitting its position on Friday as it moved slowly in the Gulf of Aden, with Bosaso, Somalia, listed as its destination. The vessel was travelling at about 2 knots, an unusually slow speed that was in line with earlier reports that it had sent a distress signal during the incident.

It was not immediately clear how many crew members were on board the tanker or whether anyone had been injured. There was also no immediate information on the nationality of the crew. Puntland authorities have not publicly commented on the reported hijacking, and there was no immediate statement from the vessel's owner or manager. naval forces operating in the region have also not issued a public update.

The hijacking is the latest in a series of attacks linked to Somali pirates, whose activity has resurfaced in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean after years of relative inactivity. Maritime security analysts have warned that continued insecurity at sea and reduced international naval patrols have added to the renewed threat.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends