The “M/T Eureka” was seized off Yemen’s southeastern Shabwa province as armed assailants boarded and took control of the vessel, the coastguard said in a statement on Saturday. The hijackers then steered the tanker to the Gulf of Aden towards the Somali coast. Aljazeera reported.
The attack is at least the fourth to take place near Somalia in recent weeks, with pirate activity in the area on the rise in an apparent reaction to the war in Iran. Officials say pirates have become emboldened as naval forces patrolling the Red Sea area are distracted by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and civilian maritime routes diverted.
The coastguard said that it was working with international partners and relevant authorities in the Gulf of Aden to recover the tanker and ensure the safety of the crew, whose fate remains unknown.
It cautioned, however, that its capabilities are limited due to Yemen’s dire economic situation.
