Pirates Hijack Two Ships With 22 Indian Crew Members Off Yemen & Somalia

Two merchant vessels with a total of 22 Indian crew members have been hijacked by pirates in different locations, one in waters off Yemen and the other in Somalia.

The first vessel is an oil-products tanker MT Sibu 1, sailing under the flag of Eritrea. It had 20 crew members, of which 16 were from India. It was targeted by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, 30 nm off the coast of Yemen, on August 20, 2026.

The second vessel is a cargo ship sailing under the flag of Cameroon. It had a crew of 10, of which 6 are Indian nationals. This ship was also hijacked by armed pirates off Somalia’s Puntland on August 17, 2026.

According to information from authorities, the crew of both vessels are safe.

Another ship, called M/V Lutuf, loaded with turkish weapons, was hijacked by pirates on August 17, 2026, after which they took it towards the Nugaal shores. It was attacked 3 miles off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district.

Its owner, Polar Movement Shipping, said that the vessel was headed towards a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu, and also carried vital satellite and communication equipment.

The ship had 10 crew members, including 6 Indians, 1 Turkish, 1 Georgian and 2 Security Guards from Serbia.

Sources confirm that 8 pirates who were previously involved in hijacking another vessel, the M/V Sward in April this year, were part of the group which took control of Lutuf and took it towards the coast close to Dangoroyo in Somalia’s Puntland.

Two other vessels later tried to approach the hijacked vessel, and turkish helicopters and drones also reached the site to monitor the situation from afar.

Two men delivered khat (a stimulant which is commonly chewed in Somalia) to the ship through a small boat. Investigation into this incident is ongoing; however, the status of the vessel, its crew and cargo remains unclear.