A tanker was hijacked approximately 136 nautical miles (approx 205km) east of Al Mukalla, Yemen, within the last 24 hours. The tanker broadcast a distress call on VHF 16 that they had been approached by an unauthorised vessel while travelling west in the Gulf of Aden.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations unit has reported that the vessel has been boarded by six armed persons who are now in control of the ship and who are re-directing it to Somalia.
This is the second of such incidents in recent days.
On 17 August, the UK MTO announced it had received a report from a Company Security Officer (the designated person ashore who ensures compliance with the ISPS Code) a a commercial vessel had been boarded by eight armed persons who took control of the vessel. The ship was last reported as being in the vicinity of Mareeyo, Somalia.
