Suspected Pirates Seize Chemical Tanker Off Yemen Coast

LONDON- Armed assailants are believed to have seized control of a chemical products tanker in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen’s southern coast on Friday, according to maritime security sources and a British maritime security agency.

The vessel, identified as the Asana, was reportedly boarded by armed individuals who took control while it was transiting the Gulf of Aden, an important international shipping route.

Maritime security sources said the suspected hijacking took place off the southern coast of Yemen. Ship-tracking data indicated that the tanker had listed the Somali port of Bosaso as its next destination.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping security in the region, said it had received reports that a vessel had been boarded by unauthorized personnel approximately 65 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukalla port.

According to UKMTO, the incident occurred while the vessel was traveling east through the Gulf of Aden.

The tanker was described as a small chemical products carrier, and its flag state could not immediately be confirmed.

There was no immediate information on the identity of the attackers, the number of crew members on board, or whether any injuries had been reported.

Authorities and maritime security organizations continued to monitor the situation as information from the vessel remained limited.

The Gulf of Aden, linking the Arabian Sea with the Red Sea through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, is one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors and has experienced repeated incidents involving piracy and maritime insecurity over the past two decades.