Somali Coast Sees Cargo Ship Hijacking by Eight Armed Men

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a maritime incident occurred off the coast of Somalia where a cargo ship was hijacked. Data released by the Mehr News Agency, citing Anatolian Agency, reported that the UK Maritime Trade Operations stated that eight armed men boarded a cargo ship on Monday and took control of it.

The organization issued a warning, announcing that it had received a report of an incident occurring approximately four nautical miles south of M Mariio, Somalia. The agency further stated that the security officer of the cargo ship’s company reported that eight armed individuals had illegally boarded the ship and assumed control.

The ownership of the vessel was not disclosed in the statement, and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the hijacking. Piracy was prevalent off the Somali coast from 2008 to 2018, after which it saw a decline. However, these incidents have resurfaced and increased in late 2023 amid escalating regional security tensions.