IMO Demands Release of More Than 90 Seafarers Held by Pirates
Six vessels are now being held after the hijacking of the Seamull on August 20
More than 90 seafarers are being held by pirates and armed robbers following a resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters, the International Maritime Organization has warned.
IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez issued an urgent call for their release on Monday, after the hijacking of the Seamull on August 20. The latest seizure means six vessels are now being held in the region.
Dominguez said the captive seafarers were living under constant threat and uncertainty, with some having limited access to food, fresh water, medical assistance and other essential supplies.
"I demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those being held captive," he said. "With the most recent hijacking, a sixth vessel is being held by pirates and armed robbers in waters that are becoming too dangerous for seafarers."
The IMO warned that the deteriorating security situation requires renewed international attention, particularly as maritime security resources have been stretched by conflicts and attacks affecting shipping elsewhere. Naval assets that once concentrated on counter-piracy patrols have been drawn into the Red Sea and the Gulf, thinning coverage across the western Indian Ocean at the point where hijackings have returned.
Flag states and coastal states have been urged to ensure vessels and crews operating in the region are adequately prepared for security risks, including through implementation of the industry's Best Management Practices for Maritime Security and relevant IMO guidance.
"I call on flag and coastal states to ensure ships flying their flag are adequately prepared to manage security risks and that crews are not exposed to avoidable dangers," Dominguez said.
The organisation is also calling for sustained international naval cooperation, arguing that coordinated naval operations remain essential to protecting merchant shipping and crews. EU warships operating under Atalanta are among the units monitoring the vessels taken into Somali coastal waters.
The IMO said it would continue supporting regional counter-piracy efforts through the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment, while Dominguez plans to raise the situation across the United Nations system and with governments. The pattern of recent seizures has run from product tankers off Yemen to smaller general cargo tonnage, with poorly tracked ships proving the easiest targets.
