Somalia, Aug 21: The ship was 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen when it sent a distress signal, shipping monitoring firm Vanguard said.
Two commercial ships carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals have been hijacked in separate incidents off the coast of Yemen and Somalia.
The oil tanker, known as the Seamull tanker, SIBU 1, has a crew of 20, including 16 Indians.
The ship was 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen when it sent a distress signal, shipping monitoring firm Vanguard said.
Six armed men boarded and took control of the ship, and now control of the ship is in their hands. They are diverting the ship towards Somalia,” the European Union’s Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO) said.
The crew on board are reportedly safe, but security agencies are monitoring the vessel’s movements.
The US imposed sanctions on the Seemul tanker in December, accusing it of being part of a “shadow fleet” of Iranian oil smuggled through fraudulent shipping methods.
The Seemul is one of four vessels operated by UAE-based Khatrat Al-Nada Almasi Ship Management.
The vessels have on several occasions transported Iranian petroleum products, including naphtha and gasoil. They have also reportedly sailed to Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen.
Another ship hijacked off the coast of Somalia:
Meanwhile, the Cameroon-flagged M/V LUTUF The ship was hijacked on August 17 off the coast of Puntland, Somalia.
The ship was carrying 10 crew members, including six Indians. The ship was carrying Turkish military equipment, communications equipment and satellite equipment, the AP reported, citing a Somali official. However, the current status of the crew on board was not yet clear.
Pirates on the rise again:
The two incidents come at a time when Somali pirates are on the rise again. Reports say that pirate groups have already captured several commercial vessels in the region.
The Somali coast was plagued by piracy in the 2000s. It peaked in 2011. Since then, the deployment of international navies and increased security measures for commercial ships have brought the pirates’ activities under control.
However, attacks have increased again since April. Currently, five cargo ships are being hijacked by pirates Another ship was reportedly hijacked off the coast of Somalia on Monday.
Authorities and maritime security agencies are continuously monitoring the situation, including the safety of Indian crew, and are gathering information on the movements of the hijacked ships and the condition of the crew.