Mogadishu: A resurgence of piracy off Somalia is threatening commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean, adding to the risks facing vessels navigating a region already affected by conflict.
The Gulf of Aden connects the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, making it an important passage for ships travelling towards the Suez Canal and European markets.
Conflict monitoring organisation ACLED recorded at least 10 incidents involving piracy along Puntland’s coastline from February 2026 to its assessment in August, including six vessel hijackings. Its analysts said pirate groups were extending their operations into the wider Gulf of Aden.
The danger has direct implications for Pakistani seafarers. Puntland authorities said pirates killed five crew members, including three Pakistanis, aboard the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces recovered the vessel in late September. The tanker had been hijacked in April.
In another incident, Somalia’s defence ministry said Turkish and Somali forces freed the vessel MV Lutuf in August after pirates seized it.
Research published by the Royal United Services Institute in September linked the renewed threat to naval resources being diverted towards regional conflicts, changes in shipping routes and persistent insecurity in Somalia.
The institute said networks supporting piracy had survived years of reduced activity. Limited economic opportunities and weak services in coastal communities continued to provide conditions in which those networks could operate.
Piracy nevertheless remains below the scale seen during the crisis around 15 years ago, the institute noted.
For shipping operators, the renewed threat adds pressure to review routes and onboard security. Hijackings endanger crews and can increase costs through delays, insurance and protective measures, compounding existing disruptions to regional trade.
