Suspected Somali pirates seized a Tanzanian-flagged tanker after boarding the MT ASANA about 75 miles off Yemen’s coast and redirecting the vessel toward Somalia’s Puntland region. The hijacking marks the second tanker captured off Yemen in the past three months, adding to concerns that piracy is reemerging as a significant threat to commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden.

Somali piracy is making headlines again.

The Tanzanian-flagged tanker MT ASANA was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden soon after departing from Yemen. Reports say armed pirates boarded the vessel and later sailed it and it is now believed to be off the coast of Somalia’s Puntland. pic.twitter.com/0accOsh69U

— The Maritime (@themaritimenet) July 19, 2026

The MT ASANA, a chemical and oil products tanker, departed the Yemeni port of Mukalla on Friday before armed men took control of the vessel while it was sailing east through the Gulf of Aden, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), regional maritime authorities, and reporting by The Associated Press. UKMTO initially reported that unauthorized individuals had boarded the ship before later reclassifying the incident as a hijacking after military authorities confirmed the vessel had entered Somali waters.

Local officials and security sources told AP that seven armed Somali pirates carried out the seizure. By Sunday, the tanker was being held off Caluula in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region. Puntland authorities had not publicly commented on the incident, and there were no immediate statements from the vessel’s owner or manager.

Public vessel tracking data reviewed by AP showed the MT ASANA traveling at approximately two knots after the attack while transmitting Bosaso, Somalia, as its destination. The unusually slow speed matched reports that the crew sent a distress signal during the hijacking. Authorities have not confirmed how many crew members were aboard, their nationalities, or whether anyone was injured.

The Regional Maritime Information Exchange Center, which operates under Yemen’s General Authority for Maritime Affairs in Aden, said maritime operations centers received a confirmed alert at approximately 6:20 a.m. GMT Friday reporting that armed individuals had boarded the tanker and gained full control of the vessel. The center identified the ship as MT ASANA, bearing International Maritime Organization number 9035838, and said the vessel was not protected by a private armed security team.

Yemeni maritime officials said the vessel’s abrupt course change toward Somalia indicated a ransom-driven piracy operation. The Yemeni Coast Guard reported dispatching patrol assets while aerial surveillance monitored the tanker as it headed southeast across the Gulf of Aden.

The attack follows a broader resurgence in Somali piracy after years of relative decline. The International Maritime Organization reported on July 6 that it recorded 24 actual and attempted piracy and armed robbery incidents in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the previous three months. The agency also said 44 seafarers remained captive aboard three vessels hijacked between April and May: the MT Honour 25, Eureka, and Sward. According to the IMO, those crews continue to face shortages of food and water while remaining under threat from their captors.

The European Union Naval Force’s Operation Atalanta has warned that Somali pirate groups have expanded their operations since late 2023 and entered a more active phase in 2026. The mission said regional instability and competing international security priorities have reduced the resources available for maritime patrols, creating opportunities for pirate networks to rebuild their capabilities.

While the International Maritime Bureau reported that worldwide piracy incidents fell to their lowest first-half total since 1992, Somali-based groups accounted for 94 percent of all seafarers taken hostage during the first six months of 2026. Maritime security analysts say the contrast demonstrates that although piracy has declined globally, the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia remain among the world’s highest-risk shipping corridors.