- The first vessel, M/V LUTUF, was hijacked by eight armed pirates with AK-47-type weapons operating from two skiffs.
- The second vessel, an Eritrea-flagged oil-products tanker M.T. Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on August 20, off the Yemeni coast.
- The Seamull tanker, also known as Sibu 1, with 16 Indian sailors, issued a distress call in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday; gunmen boarded the vessel and forced it to change course towards Somalia.
Armed pirates have hijacked two commercial vessels off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, involving 22 Indian crew members. The first vessel, the Cameroon-flagged M/V LUTUF, was seized on August 17 near Puntland, with six Indians among its ten crew members.1
The second ship, the Eritrea-flagged M.T. Sibu 1, was hijacked on August 20 in the Gulf of Aden, carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians. Six armed pirates took control of M.T. Sibu 1, forcing it to change course towards Somalia after issuing a distress call.234
The M/V LUTUF was boarded by eight armed pirates with AK-47-type weapons, who steered the vessel towards the Nugaal coast. No injuries have been reported thus far, and all crew members aboard both ships are reported safe, according to a senior shipping ministry official.
The crew of M/V LUTUF initially mustered in the citadel but were overpowered by the pirates, who gained access to the bridge. The vessel is currently under pirate control, with the hijackers suspected of involvement in previous incidents.
The hijackings highlight ongoing maritime security challenges in the region, where piracy has seen a resurgence in recent years.
“The second vessel, M.T. Sibu 1, was seized on August 20 with 20 crew including 16 Indians, while six armed pirates took control of it. The first ship, M/V LUTUF, was boarded by eight pirates with AK-47-type weapons operating from two skiffs.”
