Naval forces curb piracy threat to merchant vessels off Somalia

EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta noted on 9 November that the mission, in co-ordination with the Indian Navy, is closely monitoring a Pirate Action Group (PAG) linked to several incidents last week. Officials stated that “there is currently no threat from this group to merchant vessels.”

In a post on X, the mission added the PAG associated with recent attacks “is still in the area” but remains under close surveillance. Operation Atalanta also advised vessels to maintain general awareness and report any suspicious activity.

Maritime security firm Ambrey reported on the same day that the hijacked dhow Issamohamadi, which was involved in last week’s piracy attacks, was under Indian Navy escort to Somali territorial waters.

“There is assessed to be a low risk to merchant shipping given the presence of the Indian Navy,” Ambrey noted, adding that “shipping is advised to maintain distance from the group.”

Recent attacks

Operation Atalanta recorded several piracy-related incidents off Somalia since 2 November, the most serious being the boarding of Latsco’s MR tanker Hellas Aphrodite. The vessel was later liberated by co-ordinated naval forces after its 24-member crew secured themselves in the ship’s citadel following the pirate boarding.

The most recent incident involved an LNG carrier, which successfully outmaneuvered a suspicious small craft.

The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported last month that no piracy incidents were recorded off Somalia or in the Gulf of Aden during Q3 2025, attributing the calm to southwest monsoon conditions. However, the IMB urged vessels to remain vigilant, noting that 26 crew members had been taken hostage from two fishing vessels and one dhow during the first half of 2025.