Oil Tanker Hijacked off Yemen Coast, Headed Toward Somalia
ADEN, Yemen — An oil tanker was boarded and seized by unidentified armed attackers off the coast of southern Yemen on Saturday, May 2, 2026, and has been diverted toward Somali waters, according to the Yemeni Coast Guard .
The vessel, identified as the M/T EUREKA, a Togo-flagged oil products tanker, was attacked off the coast of Shabwa province. The attackers boarded the vessel, took control, and redirected it into the Gulf of Aden, heading east toward the Somali coastline .
📍 Response and Investigation
The Yemeni Coast Guard, affiliated with the country’s internationally recognized government, has launched a response operation. Two patrol boats were dispatched from Aden, and smaller vessels were deployed from Shabwa to conduct search-and-tracking operations .
The coast guard stated that the tanker’s location has been identified, and efforts are underway to monitor the vessel, recover it, and ensure the safety of its crew . It noted that these efforts are being carried out despite “limited resources and exceptional circumstances” .
Coordination has been established with international partners and maritime security agencies operating in the Gulf of Aden .
⚠️ Broader Concerns: A Resurgence in Piracy?
This hijacking is the latest in a series of incidents raising fears that Somali piracy—once significantly reduced by international naval patrols—is making a comeback .
- Recent Surge: The attack is at least the fourth hijacking in the region in recent weeks. On April 21, the oil tanker Honor 25 was seized (carrying 11 Pakistani crew members), followed by a dhow on April 25 and the merchant vessel Sward on April 26 .
- Security Vacuum: Analysts attribute the spike in activity to a “security vacuum.” The ongoing war in the Middle East has drawn international naval forces away from Somali waters to the Red Sea, coinciding with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is forcing more civilian vessels to take the longer route around the Horn of Africa .
- Heightened Alert: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has raised the piracy threat level along the Somali coast and is warning vessels to “transit with caution” .
The UKMTO had reported a “suspicious approach” involving unidentified boats targeting a commercial vessel in the same area within 24 hours prior to the hijacking .
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