Maritime security firm Ambrey said the attackers are believed to be Somali pirates.
Bosaso – Suspected Somali pirates boarded the oil and chemical tanker Asana on Friday while it was transiting the Gulf of Aden south of Yemen, according to British maritime authorities. The incident highlights growing concerns over the resurgence of piracy in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes amid ongoing instability in the Red Sea.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the Tanzania-flagged vessel was boarded by “unauthorised personnel” after issuing a distress call while sailing westward. The attack occurred south of Yemen’s Al-Mukalla province.
Maritime security firm Ambrey said the attackers are believed to be Somali pirates. The company noted that the tanker was operating without an armed security team on board. A South Korean naval vessel was dispatched to assist after the distress signal was received.
Shipping data identified the vessel as the Asana, an oil and chemical tanker registered under the Tanzanian flag. The ship was reportedly en route to the port of Bosaso in northeastern Somalia when the attack took place.
Yemen’s Coast Guard in Aden did not immediately comment on the incident.
The boarding marks the latest in a series of maritime security incidents in the Gulf of Aden, where pirate activity has shown signs of increasing after years of relative decline.
Earlier this month, on July 1, suspected Somali pirates attacked another commercial vessel approximately 76 nautical miles (140 kilometers) south of Yemen’s Balhaf port. According to UKMTO, four armed men in a small boat approached the ship and caused minor damage to its bridge.
The latest attack comes as international efforts to secure the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden continue to intensify. On Thursday, the European Union signed an agreement with Djibouti aimed at strengthening its naval mission in the Red Sea, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly threatened commercial shipping.
Security analysts say the combination of renewed pirate activity off the Somali coast and persistent threats posed by the Houthis has significantly heightened risks for vessels operating along the strategic maritime corridor linking the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the condition of the crew aboard the Asana or whether any injuries were reported. Investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
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