Attackers board a ship off the coast of Somalia after firing rocket-propelled grenades [View all]

Source: AP

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Attackers firing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades boarded a tanker carrying gasoline off the coast of Somalia on Thursday, authorities said, likely the latest assault by resurgent Somali pirates operating in the region.

A series of recent attacks attributed to Somali pirates had put shippers on edge even before Thursday's seizure of the Malta-flagged Hellas Aphrodite. The capture of the vessel represents the first commercial ship taken by pirates off Somalia in over a year and raised fears of more assaults.

“This is an unprecedented series of events targeting merchant vessels since the hijacking of the MV Basilisk in May 2024,” France's Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness Center warned. “Pirates are agile, determined, move between areas and have real reach.”

The attack Thursday morning targeted the Hellas Aphrodite as it carried a load of gasoline from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa, the ship's owner Latsco Marine Management Inc. said.

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