Six Indians Among Crew of Cargo Ship Hijacked Off Somalia’s Puntland Coast
Six Indians are among the 10 crew members aboard a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship that was hijacked by pirates off Somalia’s Puntland coast earlier this week, according to a Somali official.
The M/V LUTUF, owned by Polar Movement Shipping, was seized on Monday and taken towards Somalia’s Nugaal coast. The vessel was reportedly transporting Turkish weapons and communications and satellite equipment to a military training facility in Mogadishu.
The ship was hijacked about three-and-a-half nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district, the official told The Associated Press.
The crew comprises six Indian nationals, one Turkish national and one Georgian national, along with two Serbian security guards. Turkish authorities have not publicly commented on the incident, while India’s Ministry of External Affairs had also not issued a statement at the time of reporting.
Pirates Move Vessel Towards Puntland Coast
Eight armed pirates, believed to be linked to a group accused of hijacking the M/V Sward on April 26, reportedly took the LUTUF towards the coast near Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district.
Two Turkish-owned vessels later approached the hijacked ship, while Turkish helicopters and drones monitored the area, the Somali official said.
On Tuesday, a small boat carrying two men approached the vessel and delivered khat, a stimulant widely chewed in Somalia. According to the official, an airstrike was carried out after the boat returned to shore, killing four people and injuring two others.
It remained unclear who conducted the airstrike and whether those killed were connected to the hijacking. The condition of the LUTUF, its crew and its cargo was also not immediately known. The Associated Press said it could not independently verify all elements of the account.
New Piracy Incidents Raise Alarm
The hijacking comes amid growing concerns over renewed piracy activity along Somalia’s coast.
In a separate incident on Thursday, the US-sanctioned tanker Seamull, also known as SIBU 1, was reportedly seized in the Gulf of Aden after six armed men boarded the vessel and allegedly forced it to change course towards Somalia.
The tanker issued a distress call after being approached about 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen. The EU’s Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean said six armed men had boarded and taken control of the vessel.
The United States sanctioned the Seamull last year, identifying it as part of Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet”, which Washington accuses of transporting Iranian oil through deceptive shipping practices.
Piracy off Somalia declined significantly after reaching a peak in 2011, helped by international naval patrols and improved security measures. However, attacks have increased again since April, with several vessels reportedly being seized or held for ransom.
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