🔶 Somali pirates abducted an Iranian fishing vessel

One of the maritime security officers in the region of Puntland said on Sunday, November 1, that the Iranian vessel “Azini” was hijacked on Thursday, October 29, in an area between the coastal cities of Berbera and Hafun in the north-east of Somalia.

The officer told The Associated Press that 12 pirates took control of the ship. The vessel was carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards.

In a statement it issued on Saturday, October 31, the maritime security center said that no information is yet available about the security situation or the health of the crew. In its updated warning, the center added that the pirates may use the ship as a “mother ship” to support attacks against commercial vessels.

The EU’s Atalanta naval operations body is investigating the incident. The maritime security center asked vessels present in the area to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.