World · 2026-11-01 · Afternoon briefing

Somali pirates seize Iranian vessel with 23 crew

Somali pirates have seized an Iranian fishing vessel carrying 23 people off the coast of northeastern Somalia, prompting warnings it could be used as a "mother ship" for further attacks. The vessel, the Azini, was hijacked by 12 pirates on Thursday between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. Its 21 Iranian crew and two Somali security guards are unaccounted for, according to the European Union’s Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean.

The hijacking is the latest sign of a resurgence of piracy in the region. Six commercial vessels have been seized since April, with some attacks occurring far from the Somali coast. In a separate incident in September, Puntland authorities reported that pirates killed five crew members aboard the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces recovered the vessel and detained 16 suspects.

The European Union’s naval Operation Atalanta is investigating the seizure. The renewed threat to shipping in the Gulf of Aden comes as attacks by Houthi rebels in nearby waters have already forced some oil shipments on longer routes, pushing daily spot charter rates for tankers to as high as $1m.

Summary written by Cup of News with AI from the sources below. Check the originals for the full story.

Read the sources

• Somali pirates seize Iranian fishing vessel, raising fears of attacks on cargo ships
• Somali pirates seize Iranian fishing vessel with 23 people on board — The Hindu
• Somali pirates hijack Iranian fishing vessel
• Somali pirates killed five crew members on hijacked tanker, officials say
• Somali pirates seize Iranian fishing vessel, raising fears of attacks on cargo ships

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