05 Jan 2024 | 10:11 AM UTC
Somalia: Authorities responding to hijacked Liberia-flagged cargo vessel in Arabian Sea Jan. 4 /update 1
Indian authorities responding to hijacking of Liberia-flagged vessel off the coast of Somalia Jan. 4.
At least five unknown armed assailants reportedly boarded the Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk cargo vessel approximately 460 NM (850 km, 530 miles) east of Eyl, Jan. 4. Reports suggest the crewmembers include at least 15 Indian nationals; Indian authorities have dispatched a military vessel to the area. Further information regarding the status of the crew, remains unclear. The UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO) and the Indian navy are investigating the incident.
A heightened naval security presence is likely in the vicinity of the incident in the coming days. If confirmed as a piracy incident, further attacks and hijackings are possible.
Exercise a high degree of caution if operating in piracy-prone areas. Ship operators should implement best management practices (BMP5) to mitigate piracy-associated threats. Companies should regularly review their ship security assessment and plan under the International Ship and Facility Security Code (ISPS), particularly in piracy-prone areas. Companies are advised to maintain strict anti-piracy watches and report all pirate activity, including both actual and attempted attacks, as well as suspicious sightings, to local and international naval authorities.
Several incidents involving apparent pirates have been reported off Somalia since November. Most incidents have targeted Iranian fishing vessels, allegedly in response to illegal fishing in Somali waters threatening the livelihoods of local fishermen. Pirates have threatened to use the hijacked fishing vessels as motherships to target other ships. Somali pirates have been implicated in the boarding of the cargo vessel Central Park, which was subsequently targeted by ballistic missiles launched from Yemen, as well as the hijacking of the cargo vessel Ruen, which remains hijacked off the northern coast of Somalia. Any connection between these incidents and the ongoing maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea caused by Yemeni Al-Houthi rebel threats remains unclear.
This spate of apparent piracy incidents off Somalia comes despite piracy numbers in the region declining significantly in recent years, with this decline demonstrated by the removal of the High Risk Area (HRA) in the waters off Somalia and the northern Indian Ocean by several insurers Jan. 1, 2023. The last successful hijacking prior to November 2023 took place in 2017, while the last attempt had occurred in 2019. Despite the lifting of the HRA, occasional incidents involving gunfire towards vessels and thefts have occurred, and the waters of the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and northwestern Indian Ocean remain in the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA).
