Somali pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen and are currently taking the vessel back to Somalia. This is the second piracy incident involving a ship in the past 10 days.
Foreign news agencies reported on 2 May 2026, citing multiple Somali security officials, that Somali pirates hijacked an oil tanker off Yemen's coast. This aligns with earlier reports from Yemen's coast guard stating that the oil tanker named "MT Eureka" was hijacked and is being taken to Somalia.
Sources said the pirates seized the oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden near the Lebanese port of Qana. The pirate group had set out from a remote coastal area near the town of Qandala, located in the Gulf of Aden region.
This marks the second oil tanker hijacking in the area within 10 days, following the seizure of the "Honor 25" by Somali pirates on 22 April. The Honor 25 was transporting 18,500 barrels of oil destined for Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
Security officials added that the MT Eureka is registered under Togo, a West African nation. It was seized by armed groups at 05:00 local time. The ship is currently drifting in the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia, and is expected to anchor in Somali waters within a few hours.
In a separate incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Friday that armed individuals on a speedboat approached a bulk carrier near the city of Al-Mukalla, Yemen.
The armed group departed from a remote coastal area near the fishing town of Caluula, approximately 209 kilometers from the location where the pirates set out to seize the MT Eureka.
Both incidents suggest that maritime piracy is expanding along Somalia's vast coastline, which is Africa's longest mainland coast, stretching about 3,333 kilometers.
So far, Somali authorities and the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), which oversees anti-piracy operations in Somali waters, have not issued any statements regarding the latest hijacking.
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Source:bbc