Somali piracy resurges as Iranian vessel seized carrying 23 crew

Somali pirates have seized an Iranian fishing vessel with 23 crew members, warning the ship could become a targeted platform for future attacks, according to the European Union’s Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean. The Azini was hijacked on Thursday between Bandar Bayla and Hafun in northeastern Somalia, where 12 pirates seized the vessel carrying 21 Iranians and two Somalis.

The crew's fate remains unknown, as the center issued an alert on Saturday. The EU's naval Operation Atalanta is investigating the incident, urging ships to stay alert in the area. This follows a resurgence of piracy across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean, with six commercial vessels hijacked since April. In August alone, pirates targeted the oil tanker Sibu 1 and the tanker MT Honour 25, with 16 suspected pirates detained in September.

The renewed piracy adds to the dangers in a region already strained by the Iran war, Houthi rebels' threats, and disrupted shipping routes. These developments have lengthened voyages and raised tanker costs, with some shipments taking up to a month longer and daily charter rates reaching $1 million.