DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A European naval operation in the Middle East has successfully rescued a Yemeni fishing boat that had been hijacked by suspected Somali pirates near the Horn of Africa, according to official statements. Late Thursday, the naval mission, identified as EUNAVFOR Atalanta, confirmed that the incident was still being investigated and reported that all 12 crew members aboard the vessel were unharmed.
The piracy event unfolded last week and involved an assault targeting a dhow, a traditional type of boat common in the region, close to the coastal town of Eyl in Somalia. EUNAVFOR noted that the immediate deployment of its forces in the vicinity, particularly the presence of a helicopter, played a critical role in the successful liberation of the fishing boat. The crew recounted that the suspected pirates vacated the vessel after pilfering personal belongings and two smaller boats linked to the dhow.
Piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia reached alarming levels in 2011, with a total of 237 attacks documented that year. This surge in maritime crime significantly impacted the global economy, with losses estimated at around $7 billion and ransom payments totaling $160 million, as reported by the Oceans Beyond Piracy monitoring organization.
Following that peak, piracy threats were considerably reduced due to enhanced international naval patrols, a bolstered transitional government in Mogadishu, and various strategic initiatives. Nevertheless, in recent times, there has been a resurgence of Somali pirate activities, markedly increasing over the past year. This uptick is partially attributed to the widespread insecurity stemming from assaults by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea region amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
As of 2024, the International Maritime Bureau recorded seven incidents of piracy off the coast of Somalia, highlighting a worrying trend as maritime safety continues to be a pressing issue in the area.
