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Ulviyya Poladova

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Pirates have hijacked an oil tanker carrying 17 crew members off the coast of Somalia, in what security officials describe as a troubling sign of renewed maritime insecurity in the region, AzerNEWS reports.

The vessel, identified as Honour 25, was seized late on Wednesday by six armed men while sailing approximately 30 nautical miles offshore, according to multiple officials who spoke to BBC.

The tanker was transporting around 18,500 barrels of oil and was en route to Mogadishu. Authorities warn that the incident could heighten concerns in the capital, where fuel prices have already surged sharply amid broader regional instability linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

According to officials from Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of Somalia, the ship had departed from Berbera on February 20. It later traveled toward the coast of the United Arab Emirates before changing course. Data from maritime tracking services indicates that the tanker lingered near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz before turning back on April 2 and heading toward Somalia.

Under pirate control, the vessel is now anchored close to the Somali shoreline between the fishing towns of Xaafun and Bander Beyla.

The crew consists of 17 sailors of various nationalities, including 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, one Indian, one Sri Lankan, and one from Myanmar. Their condition remains unclear.

Image: AFP