EU forces free crew from tanker seized by Somali pirates
European Union naval forces rescued 24 sailors from a Maltese-flagged oil tanker that was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
The Hellas Aphrodite, which was carrying oil from India to South Africa, was seized on Thursday when armed pirates opened fire with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades before boarding the ship.
The crew locked themselves in a fortified castle while the attackers took control of the ship.
The Spanish warship ESPS Victoria, operating as part of the EU’s anti-piracy mission Operation Atalanta, reached the tanker on Friday afternoon. Special forces boarded the ship and found all 24 crew members unharmed.
“The crew is safe and no injuries have been reported. They remained in direct contact with Atalanta at the goal throughout the incident,” the EU mission said. the EU mission said, adding that a “show of force” by the pirates before the warship arrived led them to abandon ship.
He added that the threat risk in the region “remains critical” as pirates are still there.
Helicopters, drones and surveillance aircraft participated in the rescue operation. Just a few hours ago, another ship in the same area was approached by a small speedboat but managed to evade it.
This is the latest in a series of attacks that have raised concerns about a resurgence of piracy in the region.
Such activity peaked more than a decade ago before declining as international maritime patrols and security measures were introduced.
However, attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea over the last two years have led to ships being diverted to the Indian Ocean in East Africa, creating new opportunities for Somali gangs.
Seven cases of piracy, including three hijackings, were reported off the coast of Somalia last year, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Only one case of piracy was reported in 2023.
