What's happened
On November 6, 2025, Somali pirates attacked and seized the Malta-flagged tanker Hellas Aphrodite in the Indian Ocean, over 1,000 km off Somalia’s coast. The 24 crew members locked themselves safely in the ship’s citadel. The pirates, armed with machine guns and RPGs, reportedly operate from a hijacked Iranian fishing boat. EU naval forces are responding amid rising piracy linked to regional instability.
What's behind the headline?
Resurgence of Somali Piracy Amid Regional Instability
The seizure of the Hellas Aphrodite marks a significant escalation in Somali piracy, the first commercial ship hijacked since May 2024. This resurgence is driven by weakened maritime security as international naval patrols decline and regional conflicts, notably Yemen’s Houthi insurgency, destabilize the Red Sea corridor.
Strategic Use of Hijacked Vessels
Pirates operating from a hijacked Iranian fishing boat demonstrate adaptive tactics, using captured vessels as mobile bases to extend their operational reach. This complicates naval responses and increases risks for commercial shipping.
Economic and Security Implications
The attack threatens critical shipping lanes transporting energy and goods between Asia and Africa, potentially increasing insurance costs and rerouting risks. The EU’s Operation Atalanta and UKMTO warnings highlight the urgency of coordinated international naval efforts.
Forecast and Consequences
Without sustained international naval presence and regional cooperation, piracy incidents will likely increase, impacting global trade and regional stability. Shipping companies may adopt more armed security or avoid the area, affecting supply chains.
Relevance to Readers
While distant, these events influence global fuel prices and shipping costs, indirectly affecting consumers worldwide. Heightened piracy also underscores the fragility of maritime security in geopolitically sensitive regions.
What the papers say
The Independent’s Jon Gambrell provides detailed coverage of the Hellas Aphrodite seizure, noting the crew’s safety after locking themselves in the citadel and the pirates’ use of heavy weapons like RPGs. Gambrell highlights the pirates’ base on a hijacked Iranian fishing boat and links the resurgence to regional instability caused by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. AP News corroborates these details, emphasizing the EU’s Operation Atalanta response and the broader context of rising piracy since 2023.
Al Jazeera focuses on the EU naval force’s proximity and readiness to respond, underscoring the tactical threat posed by pirates operating far offshore. The New Arab and Sky News provide additional operational details, including the absence of armed security on the tanker and the ongoing search for pirates.
Reuters and Arab News contextualize the attacks within a series of recent incidents, including the failed boarding of the Stolt Sagaland tanker, illustrating a pattern of increased pirate activity. They also note the economic impact of piracy’s peak in 2011 and the subsequent decline due to international efforts.
Together, these sources paint a comprehensive picture of a piracy threat re-emerging in a complex geopolitical environment, with international naval forces scrambling to contain it.
How we got here
Piracy off Somalia peaked in 2011 with 237 attacks, costing the global economy billions. International naval patrols and a stronger Somali government reduced incidents, but piracy has resurged since late 2023, partly due to regional conflicts involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels disrupting maritime security in the Red Sea corridor.
Go deeper
- What is driving the resurgence of Somali piracy?
- How are international forces responding to these attacks?
- What impact do these piracy incidents have on global shipping?
Common question
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Why Are Somali Pirates Attacking Ships Again?
Recent reports indicate a resurgence in piracy off the Somali coast, with pirates attacking ships once more. This raises questions about what’s causing this spike and what it means for global shipping. Below, we explore the key reasons behind this increase, the regions most affected, and how naval forces are responding to this renewed threat.
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Why Are Somali Pirates Attacking Ships Now?
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has seen a resurgence recently, raising questions about what's driving these attacks. With ships seized and crews threatened, many wonder what factors are fueling this dangerous trend. In this page, we explore the reasons behind the recent piracy surge, the regional instability involved, and what international forces are doing to combat it.
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How Is Global Energy and Trade Being Affected by Recent Events?
Recent developments in shipping, oil markets, and international conflicts are reshaping the global economy. From piracy off Somalia to UK interest rate decisions, these events influence energy supplies, trade routes, and market stability. Curious about how these factors connect and what they mean for you? Below are key questions and answers to help you understand the current landscape.
More on these topics
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Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a sovereign country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Guardafui Channel and Somali Sea to the east, and Kenya to the southwest.
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden.
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Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is the second-largest Arab sovereign state in the peninsula, occupying 527,970 square kilometres.
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Eyl is an ancient port town in the northeastern Nugal region of Somalia in the autonomous Puntland region, also serving as the capital of the Eyl District. Eyl, also called Illig, was the capital of the Dervishes from 1905 onwards, until superseded by...
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The Houthi movement, officially called Ansar Allah and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamic political and armed movement that emerged from Sa'dah in northern Yemen in the 1990s.