Somalia : Four feared dead after skiff destroyed near Eyl coast

EYL, PUNTLAND — Preliminary reports from the coast of Puntland’s Nugaal region say a small skiff carrying four people was destroyed in an attack near the coastal district of Eyl. All four people aboard are feared dead.

Some accounts suggest the skiff was heading towards the MV Sward, a commercial vessel hijacked by pirates on April 26, 2026. However, local residents have disputed that claim, saying the boat was not travelling to the captured ship.

Local sources also report that foreign naval vessels and unmanned aircraft have been observed in the area in recent days. Unverified reports have linked the attack to Turkish forces operating off Somalia’s coast.

Neither the Puntland Government nor the Turkish Government has issued an official statement. International maritime-security organisations have also yet to confirm that the attack occurred, the reported death toll or the identity of those responsible.

Background: The MV Sward

The MV Sward is a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo vessel that was transporting cement from Egypt to the Kenyan port of Mombasa when pirates seized it near the coast of Garacad.

Maritime-security reports indicate that the vessel was carrying a crew of approximately 16 or 17 people. It has remained under pirate control off Puntland since its hijacking.

The pirates are also reported to have used the Sward as a “mother ship” from which they could organise and launch attacks against vessels travelling through international waters.

The Sward is among several commercial vessels hijacked off Somalia this year. The incidents have heightened concerns about the resurgence of piracy and the threat it poses to international shipping and communities along Puntland’s coastline.

This is a developing story and will be updated when official or independently verified information becomes available.

GAROWE ONLINE