Indian Ocean HRA
Overview
The threat of piracy still exists in the waters of the Southern Red Sea/ Bab el Mandeb, Gulf of Aden including Yemen and the northern Somali coast, Arabian Sea/Gulf of Oman and off the eastern and southern Somali coastline. Although the opportunity for attacks has reduced, Somali pirates continue to possess the motivation and capability to carry out attacks.
Reported incidents HRA 5th April – 11th April
There have been no reported piracy incidents reported in the High Risk Area (HRA) during this reporting period.
Ongoing threats
It is highly unlikely that international shipping is being directly targeted by combatants in the Yemen conflict, but there remains a risk of misidentification and miscalculation. The situation is fluid and the threats to shipping can change rapidly. Ship operators should carry out detailed risk assessments for each voyage into the area using the latest threat information.
Considerations:
Masters are advised to remain vigilant at all times inside the High-Risk Area (HRA) and follow the guidance and protective measures, as set down in BMP5. In the past, it has been reported that Pirate Attack Groups (PAG) conducted ‘soft approaches’ on merchant ships transiting the HRA. Skiffs have been known to approach vessels in order to probe the reaction of the crew and any possible security teams on-board. If the pirate approach does not elicit a response, the pirates may then proceed with an attack, using additional skiffs. The guidance in BMP5 remains relevant and merchant vessels transiting the High-Risk Area are encouraged to comply with its three fundamentals; register at MSCHOA, report to UKMTO and implement Self Protection Methods.
Yemen
A large explosion occurred in a warehouse in Shu’aub district in Sana’a city on April 7, injuring more than 100 people and damaging several nearby school buildings. Pro-Hadi media reported that the warehouse contained an al Houthi weapons cache. Pro-al Houthi media reported that the Saudi-led coalition conducted an airstrike on the warehouse. The Saudi-led coalition denied these claims.
The ambassadors of the nineteen countries sponsoring the UN-brokered peace process in Yemen reiterated their support for the peace process and President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government in a joint statement on April 8. The statement praised the Hadi government’s efforts to stabilize the Yemeni rial and stressed the importance of paying all government salaries going forward.
Somalia
Al Shabaab militants detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) outside the General Kahiye Police Academy in the Somali capital Mogadishu on April 4. The attack killed at least two people and injured more than seven others.
Al Shabaab militants seized the village of Dag Adey in Lower Jubba region in southern Somalia from Jubbaland Security Forces on April 6. Likely al Shabaab militants separately detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Hawl Wadag district of the Somali capital Mogadishu on April 8. The explosion killed three civilians.
