Pirates attack oil tanker off Somali Coast

A Malta-registered gas tanker was targeted by a group of pirates armed with grenades and machine guns off the Somali southern coast, according to BBC Africa on November 6th. The vessel, named Hellas Aphrodite, was headed to South Africa from India.

The pirates, presumed to be Somalis, managed to board the vessel but the staff were reportedly safe after sheltering in the ship’s fortified room.

This incident is part of a wider pattern of piracy resurgence, with 7 similar attacks reported last year in the area, and several more this year. Piracy had greatly declined over the last 10 years due to increased use of armed security on ships and international patrols maintaining safe passage.

BBC