Gunmen seize tanker off Yemen amid resurgence of Somali piracy

What the report says

A tanker was seized in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre, which said six armed people boarded the vessel and took control before redirecting it toward Somalia. The ship was identified as the Seamull tanker, also known as SIBU 1, and the incident was reported about 136 nautical miles east of Yemen’s Al Mukalla while the vessel was travelling westward.

UKMTO said it received a distress call from the tanker as it approached by an unauthorized vessel. The maritime security monitor said authorities were investigating and urged other ships to transit with caution and report suspicious activity. It did not provide details on the condition of the tanker or its crew.

The episode comes amid what Al Jazeera described as a renewed wave of Somali piracy after more than a decade of relative calm. The Gulf of Aden is a major shipping route linking Asia and Europe through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, so any disruption can affect international trade. Al Jazeera also noted that several vessels are currently being held hostage in related incidents, and that security pressures in nearby conflict zones may be making merchant shipping more vulnerable.