Tanzanian tanker MT ASANA hijacked by Somali pirates off Yemen

A Tanzanian‑flagged general tanker, the MT ASANA, was seized by suspected Somali pirates on Friday after departing from Mukalla, Yemen. Seven armed pirates allegedly took control of the vessel and moved it to waters off Caluula in the semi‑autonomous Puntland region of Somalia’s Bari province.

The ship was tracked moving at an unusually slow speed of about 2 knots, consistent with reports that it transmitted a distress signal. Details on the number and nationality of crew members and any injuries were not immediately available. Neither the vessel’s owner nor Puntland authorities have issued statements, and international naval forces operating in the Gulf of Aden have not provided an update.

The incident marks the latest in a series of piracy attacks that have resurfaced in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean after years of relative inactivity, raising renewed concerns about maritime security and the reduced presence of international naval patrols.