Somalia Maritime Police Forces rescue tanker from pirates

Puntland Maritime Police Forces of Somalia (PMPF) have rescued an oil product tanker from Somali pirates following a violent firefight off the coast of the Mudug region that left three people dead and several others injured.

The vessel, identified as the MT SIBU 1, was intercepted by security forces between the coastal towns of Garacad and Hobyo, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Daily Somalia.

The Eritrea-flagged tanker, managed by UAE-based Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management, was hijacked on August 20, 2026, off the coast of Yemen, about 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla.

The vessel was carrying a 20-member crew comprising 16 Indian nationals and four Arab crew members.

The MT SIBU 1 had previously been sanctioned by the US government for allegedly operating as part of an illicit “shadow fleet” transporting oil products from blacklisted Iranian ports.

Previous US efforts to intercept or track the vessel were unsuccessful, reportedly because of its evasive manoeuvres and illicit ship-to-ship transfers.

Puntland authorities confirmed that the tanker and its crew are now secured following the rescue operation.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov