Incident Alert – Suspected Pirate Attack off the Somali Coast

Incident Details

EU NAVFOR (Op ATALANTA) reported that on 17 February, a suspected pirate attack took place against a Yemeni-flagged fishing boat off Garmaal in the vicinity of Eyl, Somalia. They stated that the incident was under investigation.

Fig1. Approximate Location of Incident – Eyl, Somalia

Comment. This incident comes ten days after another Yemeni-flagged fishing dhow, the AL NAJMA, and 12 crewmembers were seized by locals near Eyl. A search was conducted by an EU NAVFOR naval ship, and the dhow was located on 13 February. The suspected pirates fled the scene after robbing the crew. It is likely the fishing vessel was conducting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activity in Somalian TTW. IUU fishing is recognised as being the precursor to the emergence of Piracy in the Indian Ocean, which peaked in 2011. There have been over 20 fishing vessels and 4 commercial vessels hijacked since a resurgence of Somali-based piracy began in November 2023.

Assessment. Speculative reports suggest the seizure of the Yemeni dhow may be the work of an active Pirate Action Group operating from Puntland; however, this has not been verified. It is also possible that locals have identified IUU fishing vessels as a potential source of income while appearing to be acting to defend their fishing rights. Vessels operating in the region should increase vigilance, familiarise themselves with the threat mitigation advice given in BMP 5, and consider the use of an armed security team when transiting the region.