Pirates have seized an oil tanker carrying 17 crew members off the coast of Somalia, in a fresh sign that maritime insecurity is resurging in one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.
Security officials told the BBC that the vessel, identified as the Honour 25, was hijacked late Wednesday by at least six armed men roughly 30 nautical miles from shore. The attackers reportedly boarded and overran the tanker before steering it toward the Somali coastline.
The incident highlights a renewed wave of piracy in waters that had seen a sharp decline in attacks after international naval crackdowns more than a decade ago. In recent years, however, armed groups have increasingly targeted vulnerable vessels, including fishing boats and cargo ships.
The tanker was reportedly carrying around 18,500 barrels of oil and was en route to Mogadishu, raising concerns over fuel supply disruptions in the capital, where prices have already surged amid regional instability linked to the ongoing US-Israel confrontation with Iran.
Tracking data cited by maritime sources shows the vessel had departed from Berbera in the self-declared republic of Somaliland in February, before sailing near the Strait of Hormuz—a key global oil chokepoint—earlier in the conflict period. It later reversed course and headed back toward Somalia.
The ship is now anchored off the coast between the towns of Xaafun and Bander Beyla in the semi-autonomous Puntland region, with additional armed men reportedly boarding after the initial takeover.
The crew includes nationals from Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Their condition remains unclear.
No official statement has yet been issued by Somali authorities or international naval forces operating in the region, leaving questions over how the hijackers were able to intercept and capture the tanker unanswered.