Armed Individuals Seize Ship Near Somali Coasts

The UK Maritime Trade Operations announced that armed individuals seized a commercial ship near the town of Eyl off the coast of Somalia. The EU Naval Force reported that a Malta-flagged commercial vessel was hijacked in the Arabian Sea last week and taken to the same area off the coast of Somalia. The cargo tanker had 18 crew members on board when it was hijacked near Socotra Island, approximately 240 kilometers off Somalia. The naval force indicated that one crew member was evacuated to an Indian Navy ship for medical care, and suspicions surround Somali pirates being involved in this hijacking, although the naval force stated that the kidnappers are unknown and their demands are unclear.