UK Maritime Security Agency Reports Oil Tanker Hijacked off Somalia Coast

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has stated that an oil tanker has been hijacked off the coast of Somalia. The vessel was seized by unauthorised parties.

According to AFP on Saturday (25/4/2026), UKMTO reported that the tanker was seized northeast of the city of Mareeyo, Somalia, on Tuesday (21/4).

“Military authorities have reported unauthorised parties taking control of the oil tanker and directing the vessel 77 nautical miles south into Somali territorial waters,” the statement said.

This development adds to the shipping risks in the Red Sea, which has become an increasingly important supply route due to Iran’s tight control over the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf, on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula.

Somali authorities have yet to respond to AFP’s questions regarding the hijacking.

On Thursday (23/4), UKMTO reported that a Somali-flagged fishing vessel had been hijacked by 11 armed individuals. Additionally, a group of armed individuals boarded a product oil tanker in a separate incident.

“Overall, these events indicate a real hijacking threat,” the statement said.

It is known that Somalia is an unstable country in the Horn of Africa region, where the central government faces a fragmented federation of semi-autonomous states, as well as frequent attacks from Al-Shabaab militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

Somalia also rejects the separatist status of Somaliland, a region that claims independence but has only been recognised by Israel.

Somalia was once the starting point for many pirate attacks in the past, peaking in 2011. The threat subsequently declined after the European Union, India, and other countries deployed naval missions in the area.

On the other side of the Gulf of Aden lies Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels have previously targeted ships as well.