Somali Pirates Hijack Two Vessels, 22 Indian Crew Aboard

Somali pirates hijacked two commercial vessels off Yemen and Somalia this week, with 22 Indian nationals among the combined crews, according to Indian officials. The Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker M T Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members including 16 Indians, was seized in the Gulf of Aden on 20 Aug 2026 after six armed pirates boarded and took control of the vessel. Separately, the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship M/V Lutuf, with six Indians among its 10 crew, was hijacked off Somalia's Puntland coast on 17 Aug 2026, when eight armed pirates carrying AK-47-type weapons boarded from two skiffs. A senior Indian shipping ministry official said both vessels are foreign-flagged and confirmed that all 22 Indian crew members are safe. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is in contact with relevant officials to ensure the crews' security and well-being, while the Indian High Commission in Kenya said it has raised the matter with authorities in Somalia. The Sibu 1 hijacking marks the sixth commercial vessel seized by Somali pirates since 21 Apr 2026, when the Palau-flagged tanker Honor 25 was taken off Somalia. The pattern reflects a broader resurgence in piracy across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean, with six vessels captured in the region since April. Officials and shipping industry observers continue to describe the area as facing heightened maritime security risks amid the string of seizures.