Somali pirates seize Iranian fishing vessel with 23 aboard, maritime centre says

Somali pirates have seized an Iranian fishing vessel, the Azini, with 23 people on board, according to the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO). The South China Morning Post identifies the centre as the European Union's.

No details of the seizure have been independently confirmed. The Hindu's account credits The Associated Press (AP) for the officer's statements. The South China Morning Post's account closely matches The Hindu's wording but does not credit AP. Both cite the MSCIO and one anonymous officer.

The seizure

The Azini was hijacked on Thursday between the coastal towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun in northeastern Somalia. This is according to a maritime security officer with the Puntland Maritime Police Force, who spoke on Sunday. The Hindu dates the hijacking to 29 October 2026.

The officer spoke on condition of anonymity. The Hindu reports that the officer told AP that 12 pirates seized the vessel. The officer said it was carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards.

In an alert dated 31 October 2026, the MSCIO said the crew's safety was unknown, according to The Hindu. The centre warned that the vessel was approaching a commercial shipping lane. In an updated warning, it said pirates could use the vessel as a "mother ship" to support attacks on commercial vessels. It urged ships in the area to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.

The EU's naval Operation Atalanta was investigating, The Hindu reported.

Wider context

According to The Hindu, by August pirates had hijacked six commercial vessels since April, some far from Somalia's coastline. They included the oil products tanker Sibu 1, seized about 136 nautical miles (252 km) east of al-Mukalla, Yemen.

In September, Puntland authorities said pirates killed five crew members of the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces recovered the vessel. It had been held since April. The authorities said 16 suspected pirates were detained.

The Hindu also reported that attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and threats by Yemen's Houthi rebels against Saudi-linked shipping through Bab el-Mandeb have complicated oil shipping routes in a region disrupted by the Iran war. According to The Hindu, AP reported in September that some oil shipments diverted around Africa faced journeys up to a month longer. AP also reported that daily spot charter rates for tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz had reached $1 million.

Over the past decade, international naval patrols and improved maritime security sharply reduced Somali piracy, according to The Hindu.

What each side says

• MSCIO: The vessel could be used as a "mother ship" or floating base for further attacks. The crew's safety is unknown. Ships should stay vigilant.
• Puntland authorities: In a separate case in September, they said pirates killed five crew members of the MT Honour 25 and that 16 suspected pirates were detained.

What the reports do not include

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any response from the Iranian government, the vessel's owner or operator, or the Somali federal government. They do not include any ransom demand or claim by the pirates, and they do not identify the group responsible. They do not give the vessel's current position or say whether it has been used in further attacks. They do not describe the findings of Operation Atalanta's investigation.

Analysis

The MSCIO's main concern is that a seized fishing vessel could extend pirates' range toward busy shipping lanes. If that happens, commercial operators may face higher security and insurance costs on routes already affected by disruption around Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Another possibility is that naval patrols or local forces intervene before the vessel is used in further attacks. Much remains unclear: the crew's condition, the vessel's location and the identity of those responsible. The Hindu credits AP, and the South China Morning Post's closely matching account may rest on the same reporting, though it does not say so. Further statements from the MSCIO, Operation Atalanta, Iranian or Somali authorities would help clarify the situation.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.