Tanzanian-flagged tanker hijacked by suspected Somali pirates

By  News On Air   Jul 19, 2026

A Tanzanian-flagged tanker was hijacked by suspected Somali pirates off Yemen’s coast and taken to waters off the coast of Somalia’s northeastern Bari region. Security sources and local officials said the MT ASANA was seized on Friday after departing Mukalla, Yemen, and is being held off the coast of Caluula in Puntland. Sources said seven armed Somali pirates hijacked the vessel. It was not immediately clear how many crew members were aboard or whether anyone was injured.

The hijacking is the latest in a resurgence of Somali pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean after years of relative inactivity.