MT ASANA is now being held off Caluula in Somalia’s Bari region after suspected Somali pirates hijacked the Tanzanian-flagged tanker on Friday.
Seven armed Somalis seized the vessel after it departed Mukalla, Yemen, according to security sources and local officials familiar with the incident.
Vessel-tracking data showed the tanker moving at about 2 knots in the Gulf of Aden and listing Bosaso as its destination, matching earlier distress reports.
Crew numbers, injuries and nationalities remain unclear, and Puntland authorities, the ship’s owner and international naval forces had not issued public updates.
The hijacking adds to a renewed wave of Somali piracy near Yemen, which analysts link to persistent maritime insecurity and reduced naval patrols.