A Chinese fishing vessel with 18 crew members was hijacked by pirates off Somalia’s Puntland coast on Thursday, according to the European Union’s anti-piracy naval force. The attackers, armed with AK-47 rifles and machine guns, carried out what the EU described as a “robbery at sea.” Fortunately, no crew members were injured during the assault.
Pirate activity off Somalia has been a major concern for international shipping, particularly between 2008 and 2018, though incidents had declined in recent years. However, piracy has resurged since late last year, with Puntland, a region historically known for pirate activity, seeing a troubling increase in such incidents.
This hijacking highlights the ongoing threat posed by pirates in the waters off the Horn of Africa.
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