Somali pirates have once again targeted vessels in the waters off Somalia’s long coastline, marking a resurgence of piracy activity after several years of relative calm. British maritime security groups Vanguard and Ambrey reported that suspected pirates had hijacked a St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged general cargo vessel named Sward near Godobjiran, Somalia.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed the incident occurred approximately 6 nautical miles northeast of Garacad, describing it as a hijack. The ship’s 15-person crew, consisting of two Indian nationals and 13 Syrians, is currently under pirate control and moving towards the Somali coastline. The Puntland Maritime Police Force has been notified.
This latest attack follows an incident in November where armed assailants attacked a commercial tanker off the coast of Mogadishu, marking the first such event since 2024.