6 Indians Among 10 Crew As Pirates Hijack Cargo Ship Carrying Turkish Weapons Off Somalia

The Somalia piracy threat has returned to the spotlight after pirates seized a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship carrying six Indians and Turkish weapons off Puntland, while a separate tanker was taken in the Gulf of Aden days later. The M/V LUTUF, owned by Polar Movement Shipping, was carrying weapons meant for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu, along with communications and satellite equipment. Its 10-member crew included six Indians, one Turkish national, one Georgian and two Serbian security guards.

Reportedly, the LUTUF was seized on Monday about three-and-a-half nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district and was later taken towards the Nugaal coast. A Somali official said eight pirates were involved and moved the ship towards Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district. The group is believed to have links to those behind the April 26 hijacking of the M/V Sward. The status of the crew, ship and cargo remains unclear.

Somalia piracy case takes a violent turn after khat delivery

The situation around the LUTUF escalated on Tuesday when a small boat carrying two men approached the vessel and delivered khat, a stimulant commonly chewed in Somalia. After the boat returned to shore, an airstrike followed, killing four men and injuring two others, according to the Somali official.

It remains unknown who carried out the strike or whether those killed were actually involved in the hijacking. Two Turkish-owned vessels had approached the LUTUF, while Turkish helicopters and drones monitored the area. Turkish authorities had not immediately commented, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs had also not responded. The Associated Press said it could not independently verify all details of the account.

Somalia piracy fears spread beyond Puntland waters

The LUTUF incident was followed by another seizure on Thursday in the Gulf of Aden. The US-sanctioned tanker Seamull, also known as SIBU 1, was approached about 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen, before six armed men boarded and allegedly forced it to change course towards Somalia.

As per reports, the EU’s Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean said the armed men had boarded the tanker and were in control of the vessel. The US sanctioned Seamull last year, identifying it as part of Iran’s “shadow fleet”, which it accused of transporting Iranian oil through deceptive shipping practices.

Somalia piracy had fallen sharply after 2011 peak

The latest incidents come after Somalia piracy had declined sharply from its 2011 peak, when international naval patrols and tighter security measures helped curb attacks. That decline had reduced the threat to commercial shipping in the region for years.

But attacks have increased again since April, with several vessels reportedly being held hostage. The LUTUF seizure, involving six Indian crew members and a cargo of Turkish weapons, along with the separate Gulf of Aden tanker seizure, has once again put Somalia piracy and the security of commercial shipping in the region under scrutiny.

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