Armed Gunmen Seize Tanker off Yemen Coast Amid Resurgence of Somali Piracy

Maritime traffic has continued steadily in the Gulf of Aden despite ongoing Houthi drone strikes and a renewed wave of piracy following more than ten years of relative calm. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre, six armed individuals boarded a tanker off the coast of Yemen and took control of the vessel, diverting it toward Somalia.

On Thursday, UKMTO reported receiving an incident alert 136 nautical miles (252km) east of Yemen’s Al Mukalla. During the event, the Seamull tanker, also known as SIBU 1, issued a distress call stating it was being approached by an unauthorised vessel while heading westwards in the Gulf of Aden.

"UKMTO have received confirmation that the tanker has been boarded by six armed persons who are now in control of the vessel and redirecting to Somalia," the monitor stated. Authorities are currently investigating the incident, while vessels navigating the area are advised to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.

The maritime security monitor did not release further details and withheld information regarding the safety of the tanker and its crew. The SIBU 1 seizure occurred in one of the busiest shipping lanes globally, as the Gulf of Aden connects to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, forming the quickest maritime connection between Asia and Europe. Annually, roughly 12 to 15 percent of global trade by value, alongside about 30 percent of worldwide container traffic, passes through the canal.

Piracy originally surged off the coast of Somalia during the 2000s, reaching its peak in 2011 before international naval deployments and enhanced commercial shipping security measures successfully curbed the threat. This latest attack follows a significant resurgence since April in Somali piracy, which remained largely dormant for over a decade prior to this year.

Currently, five cargo ships remain held hostage, including an oil tanker seized in July approximately 26 nautical miles (48km) off Yemen’s Hadramout province. Between 2005 and 2012, Somali pirates were held responsible for over 1,000 attacks, generating approximately $400m in ransom payments and prompting an international crackdown that virtually eliminated hijackings by 2013.

Analysts note that naval forces are currently stretched thin due to ongoing conflicts in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, forcing international vessels to reroute closer to Somali waters. Combined with persistent instability in the East African country, these conditions have fueled a renewed piracy threat across the region.