Overview
- The Hellas Aphrodite’s manager said a security incident occurred and confirmed all 24 crew are accounted for and secured in the ship’s citadel.
- UKMTO reported a small craft approached the tanker southeast of Eyl and fired small arms and rocket-propelled grenades before unauthorized personnel boarded.
- Operation Atalanta said a naval asset was deploying to the area and later indicated an asset was closing distance to respond to the piracy alert.
- Maritime security firms said the Malta-flagged tanker was sailing from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa, carrying gasoline, and reported no armed guards on board.
- Ambrey and other firms assessed that Somali pirates are active and likely operating from a seized Iranian-flagged fishing vessel, a seizure not acknowledged by Iran, following a separate attack earlier in the week off Mogadishu.