EU Deploys Warship to Somali Coastline as Piracy Threats Resurface  

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Guided by the surge of piracy incidents along the lengthy coastline of Somalia, the European Union (EU) has sent a warship following another suspected attack on a vessel, multiple maritime sources said.

Early this week, armed assailants attacked a commercial tanker along the Somali coastline while attempting to board, in a piracy incident of its own kind dk de 2024. The piracy incidents had significantly gone down before this incident.

The attack and other incidents have raised concerns for the shipping lane through which critical energy and goods are transported to global markets, Reuters reports.

According to reports, a Seychelles-flagged fishing vessel was intercepted by a speedboat with Maritime security sources said a separate Iranian fishing boat had been seized by unknown assailants.

British maritime risk management group Vanguard said it was highly likely that the fishing vessel had been taken over as a mothership for launching attacks.

The EU’s naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, said it was “aware of the situation and is deploying a naval asset to the area”, declining further comment citing security issues.

“It is highly likely that a Somali Pirate Action Group is at sea, and has been operating more than 300 nautical miles offshore Somalia,” British maritime security company Ambrey said on Wednesday.

“Those (commercial vessels) approached matched the known target profiles and capabilities of Somali pirates.”

Piracy off Somalia peaked in 2011 with 237 attacks but declined due to international naval patrols and strengthened Somali governance. However, incidents have persisted, with multiple fishing vessels seized this year and Hellas Aphrodite marking the first commercial vessel hijacked since May 2024.

GAROWE ONLINE