COUNTRY, Yemen — Yemen’s Coast Guard is working tirelessly to recover the hijacked oil tanker M/T Eureka, which was seized off the southeastern coast of Yemen’s Shabwa province.
The tanker, en route to Somalia via the Gulf of Aden, has become the latest victim of piracy in the region, marking the fourth hijacking in recent weeks.
The M/T Eureka, flagged in Togo, was boarded by armed pirates near the port of Qana, leading to the seizure of the vessel.
As the tanker steers towards Somali waters, the incident has raised alarms about the resurgence of piracy in the area, a trend attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s Coast Guard is collaborating with international partners to recover the tanker and secure the safety of the crew, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
However, the coast guard’s efforts are constrained by the nation’s economic hardship, which limits their operational capabilities.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has escalated the piracy threat level along the Somali coast to “substantial, “urging vessels to transit with caution.
The incident has also drawn attention to the potential for increased maritime security challenges, as naval forces are redirected to counter threats in the Red Sea.
The hijacking of the M/T Eureka serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of piracy in the region and the need for enhanced maritime security and international cooperation to combat the resurgence of piracy.
As the tanker’s fate and the crew’s safety hang in the balance, the international community remains vigilant, working together to address the root causes of piracy and prevent further attacks.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: aljazeera
Source: Daniel Tari and News Agencies
