Somali Pirates Are Back

On April 21, the second engineer of the oil tanker Honour 25, Syed Hussain Yusuf, heard a knock on his cabin door. Someone was shouting that the ship was under pirate attack. Almost immediately, gunshots rang out. Within three minutes, about a dozen armed men were on board, ordering all crew members to gather on the captain's bridge. Soon, more boats approached the tanker, and the number of pirates increased to about thirty. They ordered the ship to be taken to the Somali fishing village of Durdura, where it anchored near the shore.

The tanker was carrying 2,700 tons of diesel fuel from Oman to the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. There were 17 sailors on board, mostly Pakistanis. None of them knew that they would spend the next five months in captivity in a space about 15 meters long, and that not all of them would return home.

In the first days, the pirates held the hostages at gunpoint, forbade them to speak, and fired into the air. The crew begged them to stop shooting, fearing that a spark could cause a fire on a ship carrying thousands of tons of fuel.

For the release of the people and the vessel, the pirates demanded $7 million from Wharf Chartering, the company managing the ship, but during negotiations, the demanded ransom was reduced to $1 million.

Initially, the hostages were allowed to call their relatives once a week. Later, calls became less frequent, and in July, communication ceased entirely. The sailors' families organized protests in Karachi, Melbourne, and London, trying to force authorities and the shipping company to work for their release. They were repeatedly promised help, but months passed, and nothing changed.

Exhausted and Hungry Pirates

During this time, the sailors learned a lot about their captors. Many pirates were exhausted and hungry. When they first boarded, they immediately started eating the food intended for the crew, and took clothes and bedding.

But these poor and hungry people were participating in an operation that required money and organization. When the tanker ran out of provisions after a month, the pirates arranged for supplies to be delivered from shore. Rice, potatoes, tomatoes, oil, and sometimes even animals for slaughter were brought to the ship. In addition, the attackers constantly chewed khat – a stimulant plant common in the region. One of them told the sailors that a pack of khat cost $60.

Yusuf began to suspect that someone was behind the pirates, financing their activities. Maritime security experts also do not rule out such a possibility. Potential sources of money include relatives of the attackers and armed groups, including Yemeni Houthis and Somali Islamists from "Al-Shabaab". However, there is no convincing evidence as to who exactly financed the seizure of Honour 25.

How Somalia Became a Pirate Nation

The history of this tanker shows why Somali piracy, which until recently seemed almost defeated, has again become a serious threat to international shipping.

It emerged in the early 1990s after the collapse of Somalia's central government. Initially, locals formed armed groups to protect coastal waters from illegal fishing and waste dumping by foreign vessels. However, over time these groups began seizing merchant ships and demanding money for their release.

By the late 2000s, piracy had turned into a large criminal business. According to experts, from 2005 to 2012, Somali pirates attacked approximately a thousand vessels and received over $400 million in ransom. In 2011 alone, 237 cases of piracy were recorded. The World Bank estimated the annual losses to the global economy from such attacks at approximately $18 billion, considering costs for security, insurance, and route changes.

Then the international community took extensive measures. Warships from the USA, NATO countries, the European Union, and other states began patrolling off the coast of Somalia. Merchant ships hired armed guards, and shipping companies introduced additional security measures. This worked: from 2013 to 2023, only two successful ship seizures were registered.

Why Pirates Returned

However, at the end of 2023, attacks resumed, and in 2026, their number sharply increased. CNN names the war with Iran as one of the main reasons, which changed the situation on maritime routes between the Middle East and Africa.

American naval forces, which previously played an important role in combating piracy, are now largely occupied with operations in the Persian Gulf. Part of the resources of other countries has also been reoriented to new threats. As a result, patrol capabilities near Somalia have weakened.

Attacks by Yemeni Houthis forced shipping companies to change routes. Large carriers can afford the expensive detour around Africa, while smaller companies sometimes direct ships closer to the coast of Somalia for economy, where they become prey for pirates.

Moreover, the war raised oil prices. In recent months, they exceeded $100 per barrel, making tankers particularly attractive targets. The capture of one vessel can bring several million dollars in ransom, and individual demands now reach tens of millions.

Experts note that attackers primarily target weakly protected ships. Since 2008, pirates have not succeeded in seizing any vessel that had armed security. However, hiring guards requires additional costs, and some shipowners continue to economize on this. Honour 25 was one such ship.

Another factor contributing to the resurgence of piracy is the severe economic situation in Somalia. The country has suffered for many years from drought, poverty, and political instability, and the war in the Middle East has only worsened the situation. Somalia imports about 90% of basic goods, so rising fuel and transportation costs have led to increased food prices. At the same time, problems arose with exports to Saudi Arabia, which is one of the country's most important trading partners.

Meanwhile, modern pirates have become more experienced. Some use GPS and satellite systems to track merchant ships, and also operate far beyond traditional areas of attack.

Павялічыць

According to data from the European anti-piracy operation "Atalanta", this summer six vessels were simultaneously seized, and 90 crew members were held captive. Such activity has been the highest in many years.

Among these hostages were the 17 sailors from Honour 25. While their families sought their release, ransom negotiations continued on the tanker. In mid-September, hope emerged that the captivity would soon end. The pirates reported that an agreement had allegedly been reached.

However, on September 29, security forces of the Somali region of Puntland conducted an operation to free the tanker, which ended in tragedy. Five sailors died, and several others were injured.

Puntland authorities claimed that the pirates killed the sailors before the operation began. However, other testimonies regarding the circumstances of the shooting emerged, so the exact sequence of events remains disputed. According to local authorities, 16 pirates were detained.

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