Oil Tanker MT Eureka Hijacked Near Yemen, Fourth Incident in Two Weeks
The oil tanker MT Eureka, sailing under the Togo flag, was hijacked this morning at 05:00 local time (03:00 BST) in the Gulf of Aden, near the Yemeni port of Qana. Yemeni coastguard officials confirmed the hijacking, stating the vessel is now being directed towards Somalia. This incident follows the recent seizure of the Honor 25 on 22 April, which was transporting 18,500 barrels of oil bound for Mogadishu.
Security officials from the semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia reported that the pirates originated from a remote coastal area near the town of Qandala. The MT Eureka is currently navigating the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia, with expectations that it will anchor in Somali waters within hours.
This event is the fourth successful pirate hijacking within a fortnight, demonstrating a marked escalation in maritime insecurity. The United Kingdom Maritime Transportation Operation (UKMTO) also reported a separate incident on Friday, where armed individuals in a skiff approached a bulk carrier near Al-Mukala, Yemen. These armed groups reportedly departed from the fishing town of Caluula, approximately 209km (130 miles) from the MT Eureka hijackers' point of origin.
The resurgence of Somali piracy, which had seen a decline since 2011, has been increasingly evident since late 2023. This coincides with the Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, which have diverted international naval assets. This shift in focus has seemingly created an operational vacuum, allowing armed groups along Somalia's extensive 3,333km (2,071 miles) coastline to exploit the reduced security presence. Somali authorities and the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), responsible for anti-piracy operations, have yet to issue a statement on the latest hijacking.
