Merchant ship hijacked off Yemen now held by Somali pirates, residents say

Jerusalem Post/Middle EastUnited Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said last week that a vessel boarded by unauthorized personnel in the Gulf of Aden had been maneuvered into Somali waters, classifying it as a hijack.Follow us on GoogleAn Indian soldier stands guard next to captured Somali pirates after they were brought in for prosecution by the Indian Navy, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, India, March 23, 2024.(photo credit: REUTERS/HEMANSHI KAMANI)ByREUTERSJULY 24, 2026 11:32A merchant ship hijacked in Yemeni waters in the Gulf of Aden last week is now being held by Somali pirates, two residents of Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region told Reuters on Thursday.The ship, the MT Asana, is a Tanzanian-flagged fuel and chemical tanker.One of the residents who spoke to Reuters described himself as a former pirate. He said there were 20 crew members on board the MT Asana, including eight from Germany and 10 from the Philippines.Germany's Foreign Ministry said it did not comment on abductions of German nationals overseas as a matter of principle.The other resident of Caluula in Puntland saw pirates transporting food to the hijacked ship.STRATEGIC CHOKEPOINT: A Puntland Marine officer patrols the Bosasso coastline in the Red Sea against ISIS, in Bari Region in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, Jan. 2025. (credit: FEISAL OMAR/REUTERS)UKMTO confirms hijacking accountUnited Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said last week that a vessel boarded by unauthorized personnel in the Gulf of Aden had been maneuvered into Somali waters, classifying it as a hijack.Somali pirates caused havoc in the waters off the Horn of Africa nation's long coastline between 2008 and 2018. After a lull, pirate activity started to pick up again in late 2023.Follow us on Google