Piracy resurgence in Gulf of Aden leaves more than 90 seafarers captive

The International Maritime Organization on August 24 called for urgent international action after a reported hijacking in the Gulf of Aden. The agency said more than 90 seafarers were being held captive and that six vessels were being held by pirates and armed robbers.

The warning followed reports that the vessel SEAMULL was hijacked on August 20. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of all captive seafarers and said crews could face limited access to adequate food, fresh water, medical support and other essential services.

The renewed seizures are raising concern along a shipping corridor connecting the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and western Indian Ocean. Piracy, armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom and attacks linked to the Houthi conflict are distinct threat categories, even though they affect overlapping waters.

Recent seizures raise concern

The Associated Press reported that pirates seized the Eritrean-flagged oil-products tanker Sibu 1 about 136 nautical miles east of al-Mukalla, Yemen, and took it toward Somalia’s Puntland coast, citing a Somali maritime security official. AP reported that the tanker had 20 crew members aboard, while noting that details surrounding the incident were still developing.

That seizure came three days after AP reported the capture of the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel Lutuf off Puntland. A Somali official told AP that the vessel was carrying Turkish weapons, communications equipment and satellite equipment. AP said it could not independently verify all details of the account, and the status of the ship, crew and cargo was not immediately clear.

AP reported that six commercial vessels had been seized by Somali pirates since April 21, including the Honor 25, Sward, Eureka, Asana, Lutuf and Sibu 1. The reported incidents have occurred increasingly far from Somalia’s coastline, including attacks near Yemen.

A wider threat, despite low global totals

The International Maritime Bureau recorded 38 piracy and armed-robbery incidents worldwide during the first half of 2026, including five hijackings, according to AP’s account of the bureau’s figures. That worldwide total is not a Gulf of Aden-only count.

The figures show why a regional resurgence can be serious even when global incident totals remain relatively low by historical standards. A small number of successful attacks can expose crews to kidnapping, delay voyages and increase the security costs of moving fuel, food and manufactured goods through a major trade route.

Naval forces remain engaged

The Royal Navy said Combined Task Force 151 responded to 25 piracy-related incidents during the United Kingdom’s six-month command period and carried out nearly 70 intelligence-gathering patrols. The task force covers more than 3 million square miles of ocean, with particular emphasis on the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa.

The Royal Navy said command of the task force transferred to the Republic of Korea on August 24. It described the operation as one of five naval groups operating under the Combined Maritime Forces, a 47-nation coalition focused on security at sea in the Middle East. The Navy said maritime presence can deter attacks but has not eliminated the threat.

What operators are being told

The U.S. Maritime Administration’s Advisory 2026-010 identifies piracy, armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom as continuing threats to commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. The advisory records four reported hijackings and 17 boarding or armed-robbery incidents since March, along with an increase in attacks involving firearms.

MARAD urged operators to assess routes before sailing, review the maritime-security Best Management Practices, report suspicious activity and coordinate with naval authorities. The IMO likewise urged flag and coastal states, shipowners and crews to follow established security guidance, including the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment.

For travelers and consumers, the immediate issue is the safety of seafarers and the reliability of a vital shipping corridor. The available evidence does not establish broader price or supply effects yet. The next developments to watch are hostage releases, confirmation of vessel and crew statuses, new maritime advisories and whether regional naval cooperation expands.

Sources

• International Maritime Organization: IMO calls for urgent action as piracy resumes in the Gulf of Aden
• Associated Press: Somali pirates hijack oil tanker off Yemen as piracy resurges
• Royal Navy: Royal Navy-led task force tackles resurgent piracy threat in Indian Ocean
• U.S. Maritime Administration: Maritime Advisory 2026-010

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