Suspected Somali Pirate Attack on Yemeni-Flagged Fishing Boat

The EU monitoring operation for the Horn of Africa is reporting a suspected piracy incident off the coast of Somalia. Details are limited currently as the incident is being investigated.

EUNAVFOR Atalanta reports it was informed of the suspected attack on Sunday, February 9, and that it is coordinating with maritime security partners in the area. The incident is currently being investigated to confirm the circumstances.

The unnamed fishing vessel is reported to be flagged in Yemen. The attack took place off Eyl, on the northern coast of the semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia.

Atalanta had highlighted that there were five years of stability till another local dhow, the Al-Meraj 1, was hijacked in November 2023 in a possible local fishing dispute. Atalanta reported at the end of 2024 that it had documented 44 attacks in the subsequent 13 months till the end of 2024, including ones that were not successful in seizing vessels. It, however, noted that there were an unknown number of unreported/unconfirmed incidents involving dhows and smaller vessels. They calculated that as many as 19 dhows had been hijacked and were concerned the dhows could be used as motherships for attacks on merchant shipping.

After activity resumed, they warned all vessels to increase safety protocols, and Atalanta’s forces were both patrolling and conducting friendly approaches with vessels in the region. Between June and December 2024, while there were three suspicious approaches, there were no incidents till December 2024, when a Chinese fishing vessel was taken while in Somali coastal waters. 

It was classified as an armed robbery as the vessel remained in coastal waters off Somalia with speculation that it could also be a local fishing dispute. At the time, they said, “The fishing vessel is under control of the alleged pirates, some of whom are carrying AK-47s and machine guns.” The Chinese government reported the vessel was freed in mid-January.