Armed assailants in a skiff opened fire on a commercial tanker off Somalia on Monday after attempting to board, in the first suspected Somali piracy incident of its kind since 2024, maritime sources said.
The vessel was about 332 nautical miles (615 km) off Mogadishu when four attackers approached from the starboard side and shot at the ship, British risk consultancy Vanguard said. The crew sounded the alarm, increased speed and maneuvered, while an embarked security team returned fire, deterring the attack. No injuries or damage were reported.
Vanguard and a maritime security source identified the target as the Cayman Islands-flagged chemical tanker Stolt Sagaland. Operator Stolt-Nielsen confirmed an attempted attack in the early hours of Nov. 3 and said the crew “responded swiftly and professionally,” with all sailors safe.
The European Union’s naval mission said it was investigating, noting it had warned on Oct. 28 of a possible pirate action group off Somalia. It urged ships transiting the area to exercise extreme caution and maintain full vigilance.
Traffic through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has slumped since Yemen’s Houthi movement began striking commercial vessels in November 2023 amid the Gaza war. Although the Houthis have announced a truce on targeting U.S.-linked shipping, many operators remain wary of resuming normal routes.