Oil tanker hijacked off coast of Yemen and taken towards Somalia
Somali pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, according to multiple Somali security officials that spoke with the BBC. The Yemeni coastguard said the tanker MT Eureka had been hijacked and was headed towards Somalia. The pirates departed a remote coastal area near the seaside town of Qandala.
This marks the second hijacking of an oil tanker in the area in a 10-day period, following the hijacking of Honor 25 by Somali pirates on April 22. Honor 25 was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil bound for Mogadishu. MT Eureka was sailing on the flag of the west African nation of Togo prior to the hijacking and was overrun by the gunmen at 5:00 AM local time (03:00 BST). The tanker is now sailing in the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia, and is expected to anchor in Somali waters in the coming hours. In a separate incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Transportation Operation (UKMTO) reported on Friday that "armed persons" on a "skiff" approached a bulk carrier near Al-Mukala, Yemen. Those armed persons departed a remote coastal area near the fishing town of Caluula (Alula). Caluula is 209km (130 miles) from where hijackers departed to seize the MT Eureka.
Today's hijacking marks the fourth successful pirate hijacking in two weeks. Somali authorities and the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) are yet to address the latest hijacking. A security official from the semi-autonomous Puntland region told the BBC: "The on-going crisis with the pirates is much worse than many realize. There are increasing movements (of armed groups) all over the coast".
Quick Summary
Somali pirates are at it again - this time targeting an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen. With international navies focused elsewhere, could this be a sign of a larger trend?
Summary - read the full story for complete context.

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