Oil tanker hijacked off Yemen, redirected toward Somali coast

An oil tanker has been hijacked off the coast of Yemen and forced toward Somalia, according to Yemeni authorities.

The Yemeni Coast Guard said on May 2 that the vessel was seized near the coastal city of Shabwa after armed individuals boarded it and took control. The attackers reportedly redirected the tanker through the Gulf of Aden toward the Somali coastline, Al Arabiya reports. 

In a separate statement, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed it had received a report earlier in the day of a maritime security incident approximately 84 nautical miles southwest of Mukalla.

According to UKMTO, a cargo vessel in the area reported being approached by a small boat and a fishing vessel under unclear circumstances.

By Sabina Mammadli