Somali Pirates Hijack Iranian Fishing Boat With 23 On Board

Somali pirates have hijacked an Iranian fishing vessel named the Azini off the coast of northeastern Somalia, taking 23 people captive.

The Hijacking

Twelve pirates seized the vessel on Thursday, October 29, 2026, in the waters between the coastal towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun. A maritime security officer with the Puntland Maritime Police Force confirmed the details. The ship was carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards. The safety of the crew remains unknown.

Security Warnings

According to the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean, the hijacked ship is now moving close to a commercial shipping lane. Officials warn that the vessel could serve as a floating base or mother ship for future attacks on cargo ships. The European Union's naval Operation Atalanta is looking into the incident, while authorities have urged nearby ships to stay alert and report suspicious activity.

Wider Piracy Resurgence

This event is part of a growing wave of pirate activity across the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean. By August, pirates had already seized six commercial vessels since April. In September, Puntland authorities reported that pirates killed five crew members on the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces rescued it and detained 16 suspects. These attacks add fresh dangers to maritime routes that are already suffering from disruptions due to the Iran war and Houthi rebel threats near the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Context

Piracy off the coast of Somalia had dropped sharply over the past ten years thanks to strong international naval patrols and better security at sea. However, recent disruptions in global shipping lanes have created new vulnerabilities that criminal groups are trying to exploit.