Yemen’s coast guard said on Saturday that the M/T EUREKA oil tanker had been hijacked off the coast of Shabwa province by unidentified armed men who boarded the vessel, seized control, and steered it towards the Gulf of Aden in the direction of Somali waters.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) first reported a suspicious approach by a green-hulled skiff and a white fishing vessel on Saturday, before the coast guard released their statement.
The coast guard added that the tanker’s location had been identified and efforts were underway to track it, take necessary measures to recover it, and ensure the safety of its crew.
This comes one day after the UKMTO reported another incident in the same area in which a bulk carrier reported being approached by "a skiff with a black hull carrying seven armed persons."
'Surge in Somali piracy'
Additionally, two other hijacks were carried out since April 21, off the coast of Somalia, in which an oil tanker and a cargo vessel were taken over by unauthorized persons, in what British security group Ambrey called "a renewed surge in Somali piracy."
On April 23, another cargo vessel was approached by fishing vessels with armed persons aboard. However, after an exchange of fire, the suspicious boats moved away.