By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Somalia, 18 August 2026 Eight armed men hijacked a cargo vessel off the Somali coast on Monday raising fears of a resurgence of piracy in Somali waters.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the incident occurred about four nautical miles south of Mareeyo, Somalia, adding that the vessel’s company security officer confirmed that the armed men had seized control of the ship.
A report published by The Maritime Executive said the vessel, identified as LUTUF, had departed Türkiye and was heading to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, when it was seized. The report also said the ship’s crew were reported safe, while the European Union’s EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA was investigating the incident and monitoring the vessel’s situation.
Maritime security company Vanguard Tech also identified the captured vessel as LUTUF, a cargo ship sailing under the Cameroon flag. The company said the vessel was built in 1995 and has a deadweight capacity of approximately 1,401 tonnes. The armed men reportedly boarded the vessel at around 2:36 p.m. Somalia time.
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Initial information from Vanguard Tech said the condition of the crew had not yet been officially confirmed at the time, indicating that details of the incident continued to emerge in the hours following the seizure.
The incident comes amid renewed concerns over piracy off Somalia’s coast. Seatrade Maritime reported that four other vessels — Honour 25, Sward, Eureka and Asana — had been seized by pirate groups since April 2026 and were still being held as of Aug. 16.
Maritime security authorities have urged vessels operating in Somali waters to maintain heightened vigilance, as the latest incident adds to concerns over a resurgence of piracy along the strategically important shipping routes around the Horn of Africa.