Pirates Seize Small Product Tanker off Yemen
A small chemical tanker sailing near Yemen issued a distress call on Friday morning, July 17, and it appears to have been boarded by up to seven armed pirates. The authorities in Somalia and elsewhere are investigating the incident as the vessel appears to be heading toward the Somali coast.
Reports are identifying the tanker as the Asana, apparently managed from South Korea and registered for a company in the Marshall Islands. The ship’s details are unclear, with Equasis listing its flag as “unknown,” while most sources show the vessel registered in Tanzania.
Built in 1992, the ship is reported to be 10,960 dwt. It is 127 meters (417 feet) and has been operating as the Asana for the past three years since 2023.
The boarding took place approximately 63 nautical miles south of Al Mukalla, Yemen. The area has emerged in recent weeks as a hotbed for piracy activity, with several vessels reporting that they had been approached. Pirates boarded a bulker named Golden Arsenal earlier in the month. The crew was able to secure themselves in a citadel, and the Indian Navy responded. The pirates flew the ship when they were unable to breach the citadel to reach the crew.
Earlier reports said the Asana was drifting. MSCIO, however, is reporting the vessel appears to be back underway. Ambrey is saying that a Korean warship was attempting to reach the vessel.
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This latest incident comes as reports said that talks for the release of the seafarers from three ships held off Somalia since April are now in an “advanced stage.” A total of 44 seafarers are being held aboard three vessels, Honour 25, Eureka, and Sward, with the IMO, Egyptian officials, and others expressing concern for the safety of the crew from the vessels. Egypt had instructed its representatives to intensify efforts to release its nationals who were kidnapped from the vessels.
The increase in oil and product prices as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has made these vessels more valuable targets for pirates. Two of the ships currently being held are product tankers, with unconfirmed reports in the media that the pirates increased their financial demands for the release of the crews.
