The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported late Sunday that a cargo vessel had been hijacked off the northeastern coast of Somalia near Garacad, raising renewed concerns over maritime security in the region.

According to a UKMTO warning, the incident took place approximately six nautical miles northeast of Garacad, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

A third-party report indicated that unauthorized individuals boarded and took control of the cargo vessel before redirecting it into Somali territorial waters.

This warning comes after a separate advisory issued by UKMTO on Saturday regarding another hijacking involving a tanker off Somali waters.

In that earlier incident, military authorities stated that unauthorized individuals had seized control of the vessel on Tuesday and subsequently moved it about 77 nautical miles south within Somali territorial waters.

Media reports identified the tanker as Honour 25, stating it was carrying 17 crew members and 18,500 barrels of oil en route to the Somali capital, Mogadishu. The reports added that the hijacking could worsen fuel shortages in the city, where gasoline prices have already increased amid broader tensions in the Middle East.

UKMTO said the recent incidents suggest a growing threat from organized pirate activity in Somali waters. It advised all vessels transiting the area to exercise extreme caution and to report any suspicious activity while investigations are ongoing.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia, once considered one of the most serious maritime security threats globally, had declined significantly over the past decade. However, the recent incidents have renewed concerns about a possible resurgence of piracy in the region.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev