Suspected Somali pirates have hijacked a fuel tanker off the northeastern coast of Somalia, according to local officials and the British military.
The vessel was seized on Wednesday between the coastal towns of Hafun and Bandarbeyla in the semi-autonomous Puntland region while travelling from Berbera to the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors security incidents in the region, confirmed the hijacking in a statement. It said unauthorised individuals had taken control of the tanker and were manoeuvring the vessel within Somali territorial waters.
The tanker, reportedly owned by Pakistani interests, was carrying a cargo of fuel at the time of the incident. Authorities have not disclosed the number or nationalities of the crew members on board.
There has been growing concern over renewed piracy activity off Somalia’s coastline in recent months, raising fears of increased threats to commercial shipping in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the hijacking, and Somali authorities have not announced any rescue operation.
