Oil Tanker Hijacked by Unidentified Gunmen Off Yemen, Heading Towards Somalia
An oil tanker named EUREKA was hijacked by unidentified armed individuals in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen and is now being steered towards Somalia. The Yemen Coast Guard has vowed to investigate the incident, which signals a potential resurgence of piracy in the waters off Somalia.
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- 📰 Published: May 3, 2026 at 03:42
- 🔍 Collected: May 3, 2026 at 04:01 (19 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 3, 2026 at 04:02 (1 min after Collected)
DUBAI, May 2 (CNA) — The Yemen Coast Guard reported today that unidentified armed individuals hijacked an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen and are sailing the vessel towards Somalia.
Agence France-Presse reported that, according to the Yemen Coast Guard, the oil tanker, named EUREKA, was "boarded and controlled" by a group of people off the coast of Yemen's Shabwa province, who then "steered the oil tanker in the direction of the Somali coast."
The Yemen Coast Guard has vowed to investigate the attack.
Data from the vessel tracking website MarineTraffic shows that the EUREKA is a Togo-flagged product oil tanker, which reportedly called at Fujairah Port in the United Arab Emirates in late March.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia was rampant in the early 2000s, peaking in 2011 with hundreds of attacks. However, the situation significantly improved with the deployment of international navies and the adoption of new strategies by merchant ships.
Nevertheless, the EU Naval Force deployed off the coast of Somalia has reported an increase in attacks in recent weeks.
Since February 28, shipping in the region has also been affected by the US-Israel war against Iran, but there are currently no indications that today's hijacking is related to this conflict. (Translation by Hong Peiying) 1150503
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Agence France-Presse reported that, according to the Yemen Coast Guard, the oil tanker, named EUREKA, was "boarded and controlled" by a group of people off the coast of Yemen's Shabwa province, who then "steered the oil tanker in the direction of the Somali coast."
The Yemen Coast Guard has vowed to investigate the attack.
Data from the vessel tracking website MarineTraffic shows that the EUREKA is a Togo-flagged product oil tanker, which reportedly called at Fujairah Port in the United Arab Emirates in late March.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia was rampant in the early 2000s, peaking in 2011 with hundreds of attacks. However, the situation significantly improved with the deployment of international navies and the adoption of new strategies by merchant ships.
Nevertheless, the EU Naval Force deployed off the coast of Somalia has reported an increase in attacks in recent weeks.
Since February 28, shipping in the region has also been affected by the US-Israel war against Iran, but there are currently no indications that today's hijacking is related to this conflict. (Translation by Hong Peiying) 1150503
Stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.