Topic
Somalia
Every Vessel Hunter story on Somalia: 11 stories, from 2 July 2026 to 4 October 2026. Newest: "Five crew killed on Honour 25 as Puntland forces retake hijacked tanker". Each story links to the ships and ports it names, so a name in the text opens the record behind it.
Five crew killed on Honour 25 as Puntland forces retake hijacked tanker
Five crew of the product tanker Honour 25 were killed as Puntland forces retook the ship from Somali pirates on 29 September, while pirates holding the Eureka drove her ashore and fled.
Puntland forces free the tanker Sibu 1 from Somali pirates after five weeks
Puntland's navy and maritime police have freed the product tanker Sibu 1, seized off Yemen on 20 August, and arrested the pirates. Three hijacked ships remain off Somalia.
Somali Pirates Release the Sward and Its 17 Crew After a Ransom Payment
The general cargo ship Sward has been released near Garacad with all 17 crew after almost five months in pirate hands, leaving four commercial vessels still held off Somalia.
Puntland Disputes Mogadishu's Account of How the Cargo Ship Lutuf Was Freed
The Federal Government of Somalia says Turkish and Somali forces freed the MV Lutuf after a ten-day pursuit, while Puntland's security ministry says no rescue took place and a ransom was paid.
IMO Says More Than 90 Seafarers Are Held as Piracy Returns to the Gulf of Aden
At least 15 attacks have been recorded this year against five in the whole of 2025, with the hijacking of the tanker Seamull on 20 August the most recent.
Turkish and Somali Forces Retake the Hijacked Coaster Lutuf off Somalia
The Cameroon-flagged general cargo ship Lutuf has been recovered nearly two weeks after Somali pirates seized it while it was carrying supplies to a Turkish military base in Mogadishu.
Task Force Handled 25 Piracy Incidents in Six Months Off Horn of Africa
Combined Task Force 151 intervened in more than two dozen piracy incidents over six months as attacks off the Horn of Africa reached a ten-year high.
Hijacked Tanker Showed Years of Tracking Gaps Before Pirate Seizure
A tanker now held by Somali pirates went dark for stretches of up to 102 days across 2024 and 2025, long before the hijacking, tracking data shows.
Ransom Standoff Deepens Around Hijacked Somali-Held Coaster
A $2m ransom demand, unconfirmed reports of strikes on boats approaching the hijacked coaster Lutuf, and a regional warning against payment have complicated the standoff.
IMO Demands Release of More Than 90 Seafarers Held by Pirates
The IMO has demanded the immediate release of more than 90 seafarers held by pirates and armed robbers, with six vessels now detained after a resurgence of attacks.
Somalia joins 15 maritime conventions
Somalia has acceded to 15 international maritime conventions in a push to tighten its legal framework across ship safety, navigation, pollution response and maritime security.
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