Pirates board tanker off Somalia, crew locks down in citadel

Armed pirates boarded a tanker off the coast of Somalia on November 6, firing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued an alert to ships in the area, locating the incident approximately 560 nautical miles southeast of Eyl, Somalia, in the Indian Ocean.

“The Master of a vessel has reported being approached by one small craft on its stern. The small craft fired small arms and RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades] towards the vessel,” UKMTO said in a statement, Sky News reports.

UKMTO WARNING 040-25 - 06 NOV 25

Click here to view the full Advisory⤵️https://t.co/yo0ifPJbtT#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/Hqa7sct7ab

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) November 6, 2025

Maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed the attack, reporting that a Malta-flagged tanker had been boarded by pirates. According to Ambrey and Vanguard Tech, the vessel in question is believed to be the Hellas Aphrodite, which altered its course and reduced speed during the assault. The ship was en route from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa. The owners and managers of the vessel could not be reached for comment.

🚨 AMBREY – RENEWED SOMALI PIRATE ACTIVITY 🚨
It is highly likely a Somali Pirate Action Group (PAG) is operating >300NM offshore Somalia, linked to a dhow hijacking near Garacad and new reports in Puntland.
🔗 https://t.co/4SgLst83BD#Ambrey #MaritimeRisk #Somalia #Piracy pic.twitter.com/Bm8Jxiztj9

— Ambrey (@AmbreyRM) November 5, 2025

“The pirates were reported to have approached on a skiff and opened fire on the tanker,” Ambrey stated, adding that Somali pirates were operating from an Iranian fishing boat they had previously seized.

The Diaplous Group, another maritime security firm, reported that the tanker had a crew of 24 mariners, all of whom secured themselves in the ship’s citadel for safety. The vessel did not have an armed security team aboard at the time.

The European Union’s counter-piracy mission, Operation Atalanta, which monitors the Horn of Africa, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The EU force has addressed previous pirate attacks in the region and recently issued warnings that assaults by pirate groups off Somalia are “almost certain” to occur.

Thursday’s incident follows another pirate attack involving the Cayman Islands-flagged Stolt Sagaland, in which the vessel’s armed security team engaged with assailants, the EU mission reported.

This latest attack underscores the persistent threat posed by Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean, particularly to commercial shipping routes, and highlights ongoing challenges in ensuring maritime security in the region.

By Vafa Guliyeva