A Malta-flagged oil tanker came under fire from suspected Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia on Thursday, marking the latest in a string of resurgent attacks in one of the world’s most dangerous shipping corridors.
According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre, the vessel’s captain reported being pursued by a small craft that “fired small arms and RPGs” at the ship. The British military unit warned nearby ships to “transit with caution.”
Private security firm Ambrey identified the targeted vessel as the Hellas Aphrodite, which had been en route from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa. The ship reportedly slowed and changed course during the assault.
The Diaplous Group, another maritime security company, said the 24-member crew locked themselves in the ship’s citadel for protection. The vessel did not have an armed security team aboard, it added.
Pirates are believed to have used an Iranian fishing boat as a base for recent attacks, though Tehran has not confirmed its seizure.
The EU’s counterpiracy force, Operation Atalanta, said it was monitoring the situation and recently warned that a pirate group operating off Somalia was “almost certain” to strike again. Earlier this week, another vessel, the Stolt Sagaland, came under fire in a similar attack that ended in an exchange of gunfire.
Somali piracy cost the global economy an estimated $7 billion at its 2011 peak, but international naval patrols and improved governance largely suppressed the threat, until now.
Security analysts say the latest surge stems from declining naval patrols and the diversion of maritime security resources to counter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. According to the International Maritime Bureau, there were seven recorded incidents off Somalia in 2024, but several more have been reported this year alone.
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