Reports received on March 16 indicated that a Yemeni-flagged fishing boat has been hijacked by Somali pirates, according to EUNAVFOR officials. The vessel was believed to have been taken control of by seven hijackers off the northern coast of Puntland, a semi-autonomous region within Somalia. Operation Atalanta is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with other maritime forces to address the continued danger in the region.
The hijacked boat reportedly had a crew of eight Somali nationals onboard. This incident marks the second hijacking this year, following a similar event in February where another Yemeni fishing boat was seized and robbed by pirates. Unlike the previous incident, Atalanta has classified this latest event as a hijacking, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by piracy in the area.
In December, armed pirates boarded a Chinese fishing boat and held up to 18 crew members before the vessel was eventually freed in mid-January. Atalanta, which was established in 2008 to combat piracy in the region, has been instrumental in capturing and convicting 145 pirates to date. The mission’s mandate was recently extended by the European Union until early 2027, reflecting the persistent dangers faced by vessels in the area.
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