6 Indians Among Crew of Hijacked Cargo Ship Carrying Turkish Arms Near Somalia

At least six Indian nationals are among the 10-member crew of a Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel reportedly hijacked by pirates off Somalia’s Puntland coast earlier this week.

The vessel, named LUTUF, was seized on Monday around three and a half nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district, according to an Associated Press report citing a Somali official familiar with the matter.

The pirates reportedly took the ship towards the Nugaal coast after seizing control of it.

Ship Was Carrying Turkish Military Supplies

According to the Somali official, LUTUF was transporting weapons destined for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu. The cargo also reportedly included communications and satellite equipment. The vessel is owned by Polar Movement Shipping.

Eight pirates are believed to have been involved in the hijacking. The group was reportedly linked to pirates suspected of previously seizing another merchant vessel, Sward, on April 26. The hijacked ship was taken towards the coast near Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district.

• Six Indians Among 10 Crew Members
• The vessel had a total crew of 10 people.

Six were Indian sailors, while the remaining crew included one Turkish national, one Georgian national and two Serbian security guards, according to the Somali official. There has been no immediate public statement from Indian or Turkish authorities regarding the reported hijacking or the condition of the crew members.

Turkish Assets Monitored the Vessel

The report said two Turkish-owned vessels later moved towards the hijacked ship, while Turkish helicopters and drones were used to monitor the area. On Tuesday, a small boat carrying two men reportedly approached LUTUF and delivered khat, a stimulant commonly chewed in Somalia.

After the boat returned towards the shore, an airstrike reportedly took place, killing four people and injuring two others, according to the Somali official.

However, key details surrounding the strike remain unclear. It could not immediately be independently established who carried out the attack or whether those killed were connected to the hijacking.

The incident highlights the continuing threat posed by piracy along Somalia’s coastline, particularly to commercial vessels operating in the region.