According to multiple reports, at least three vessels have been hijacked off Somalia in the past week, with four piracy incidents recorded. This surge has prompted the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) to raise its threat level to 'substantial'. The most recent hijacking occurred on 26 April when the cement carrier Sward was seized approximately 6 nautical miles off Garacad, Somalia.
The St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged vessel was en route from Suez to Mombasa, Kenya, with 17 crew members — 15 Syrians and 2 Indians, Puntland security officials confirmed. The Sward, a bulk carrier used for transporting cement, was on a routine commercial voyage when it was attacked in broad daylight near Garacad, a known pirate haven along the Puntland coast.
Six armed men and an unarmed interpreter fluent in English and Arabic initially boarded the Sward, according to multiple media reports. The interpreter has been dealing with the crew and the ship's owner and is effectively in charge, The Guardian reported, citing Puntland security officials. This suggests a structured approach, with the interpreter acting as a mediator while the armed pirates maintain control.
Reports on the total number of pirates vary. com that nine pirates boarded and assumed command of the vessel. However, Puntland security officials said that by Tuesday, four more armed men had boarded, bringing the total to 20.
The discrepancy may reflect the fluid nature of the situation, with some reports counting only those who initially boarded while others include reinforcements arriving later. Days earlier, on 22 April, the tanker Honour 25 was hijacked approximately 30 nautical miles offshore by six gunmen, according to multiple security officials. Some reports suggested the hijacking occurred on 21 April, but the 22 April date has been more widely cited.
The vessel has a crew of 17, including 10 Pakistanis, 4 Indonesians, and one each from India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. After the hijacking, the ship anchored near the Somali coast between Xaafun and Bander Beyla. The tanker was reportedly carrying oil cargo, though estimates of the quantity varied slightly.
Pirates are taking advantage of international navies diverting resources towards the Red Sea to combat Houthi attacks, and Puntland's Emirati-backed security forces being stretched.
Ship tracking data shows that Honour 25 departed the port of Berbera, Somaliland, on 20 February, bound for Mogadishu with a detour near the UAE and Strait of Hormuz. Officials believe the hijackers set off from a remote area near Bander Beyla in Puntland. The detour suggests the vessel may have sought a longer route to avoid dangers, but it ultimately fell prey off the Somali coast, where pirate skiffs are known to launch.
Five additional armed individuals have boarded the Honour 25. The fate and condition of the crew remain unknown, and no demands have been publicly reported. The additional armed individuals suggest that the pirates are consolidating control, possibly in preparation for ransom negotiations or to use the vessel as a mothership.
The multinational crew underscores the diplomatic complexities that could arise. A separate dhow was seized on 25 April, multiple media outlets reported, while the UKMTO issued a warning over another hijacking off Mareeyo, northern Somalia, on 21 April. These incidents add to the tally, indicating that piracy is spreading along the coast.
The warning off Mareeyo shows the threat extends further north. In late March, according to a report from the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO), an Iranian-flagged dhow, Al Waseemi 786, was hijacked approximately 400 nautical miles east of Mogadishu. EUNAVFOR and MSCHOA stated that international naval forces were closely monitoring the vessel, classifying the situation as a 'probable piracy event'.
The dhow was reportedly carrying fish, and its seizure marked an early sign of the resurgence. Despite monitoring, no immediate military action was taken. EUNAVFOR officials have warned that the captured dhow is highly likely being converted into a 'mothership' for further deep-water attacks.
Motherships allow pirates to operate far from shore, a tactic from the 2011 crisis. If confirmed, this would significantly extend their operational range and complicate naval responses. On Thursday, the UKMTO reported that a Somali-flagged fishing vessel and an oil tanker were seized in separate incidents.
Pirate networks are testing the waters again and are better equipped than the last generation, with GPS, satellite communications and hijacked dhow motherships.
The UKMTO also noted that at least two armed people attempted to board a cargo ship from a small boat but turned away after the cargo vessel fired warning shots. The seizure of a tanker headed for Mogadishu is likely to increase anxiety in the Somali capital, where petrol prices have already tripled since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, according to multiple reports. Fuel shortages and price surges are already a major concern for residents.
According to multiple security reports, piracy off Somalia had nearly vanished in the Indian Ocean but has made a comeback since 2023, with a steady rise in incidents. The current wave marks the most serious resurgence since the peak of 2011, catching many by surprise. International naval patrols had previously suppressed piracy, but the security environment has changed.
According to The Guardian, Jethro Norman, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, described how pirates are exploiting the diversion of international navies towards the Red Sea to combat Houthi attacks, while Puntland's Emirati-backed security forces remain stretched. He said that pirate networks are testing the waters again and are better equipped than the last generation, with GPS, satellite communications and hijacked dhow motherships. The sophistication of modern pirates poses a greater challenge for under-resourced regional forces.
The piracy surge compounds global shipping challenges, already strained by the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing Houthi attacks around Bab el Mandeb, multiple reports note. These chokepoints are critical for global oil transit, and disruptions there have forced costly rerouting. The new threat off Somalia adds to the risks and insurance costs for commercial vessels.
Neither Somali authorities nor the European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) has released a statement on the hijacking of Honour 25, according to multiple media sources. The lack of official communication leaves the crew's fate uncertain and shipping companies anxious. EUNAVFOR, which has historically played a key role in counter-piracy, has not clarified its current posture or response plans.
The Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO) stated that all incidents remain ongoing and advised vessels to maintain heightened vigilance, particularly within 150 nautical miles of the Somali coast between Mogadishu and Hafun. The UKMTO attributed the increased threat of Pirate Action Group activity to weather conducive to small boat operations. It also recommended that vessels transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.
Ship masters are urged to follow Best Management Practices to mitigate risks.