Joint naval forces from EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta and the Indian Navy have caught up with a Somali pirate action group in the Indian Ocean, ending a week-long pursuit that followed the hijacking attempt on the product tanker Hellas Aphrodite.
The Malta-flagged Hellas Aphrodite, operated by Latsco Marine Management, was boarded on November 6 about 560 nautical miles southeast of Eyl, Somalia. Armed attackers fired on the vessel before boarding, but the crew managed to retreat to the citadel.The Spanish frigate ESPS Victoria arrived on scene the next day. Following an initial show of force, the pirates fled the tanker and escaped aboard a hijacked fishing dhow.
EUNAVFOR and Indian naval units tracked the dhow for several days before surrounding it in international waters. According to the Maritime Security Centre – Indian Ocean (MSCHOA), the situation is now contained and there is no ongoing threat to merchant vessels, though the dhow’s crew is reportedly still being held hostage.
“The Pirate Action Group (PAG) linked to recent incidents is being monitored closely by the Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA and there is currently no threat from this group to merchant vessels. Vessels are advised to maintain general awareness and continue reporting to MSCIO and UKMTO if any suspicious activity is observed,” MSCHOA confirmed in a statement, advising vessels to maintain vigilance while transiting the region.
Maritime security sources, including Vanguard Tech and Dryad Global, noted the group is operating from Puntland and using hijacked dhows as motherships to extend their range deep into the Indian Ocean – a tactic reminiscent of piracy’s peak between 2009 and 2012.
Recent reports also link the same group to an attempted boarding of the LNG carrier Al Thumama and approaches on several other vessels, including the Stolt Sagaland, Intertuna Tres, and Spar Apus.
Experts warn that while naval coordination has prevented a repeat of large-scale hijackings so far, the resurgence of armed pirate activity shows that Somalia’s coastline remains a persistent flashpoint for maritime security in the Indian Ocean.
