Somali Pirates Hijack Sanctioned Oil Tanker Off Yemen

MOGADISHU – Somali pirates hijacked a U.S.-sanctioned oil products tanker off Yemen and steered it toward Somalia’s Puntland coast, a Somali maritime security official said Friday, in the latest attack during a renewed wave of piracy across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean, according to the Associated Press.

Six armed pirates seized the Eritrean-flagged M.T. Sibu 1 on Thursday about 252 km east of Al-Mukalla, Yemen, the official told AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the incident publicly.

The tanker carried 20 crew members, including 16 Indians, one Syrian, one Sudanese, and one Iraqi. The nationality of one crew member was unclear.

The UAE-based Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management manages the Sibu 1. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the tanker last year, alleging it was part of Iran’s “shadow fleet” used to transport petroleum products in violation of U.S. sanctions. Its previous port and intended destination were unclear.

Pirates seized the Sibu 1 three days after taking control of the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel Lutuf off Somalia. Somali pirates have now hijacked six commercial vessels since April 21, including the Honor 25, Sward, Eureka, Asana, Lutuf, and Sibu 1, with several attacks occurring far from Somalia’s coastline.

The International Maritime Bureau recorded 38 piracy and armed robbery incidents worldwide during the first half of 2026, including five hijackings, and said Somali pirates were responsible for 94% of the 67 crew members taken hostage globally during that period.

Puntland authorities said Friday that forces beyond their control were behind the renewed piracy, but they did not identify any group or country.