NAIROBI, March 25. /TASS/. A pirate group has reportedly hijacked the Iranian-flagged ship Alwaseemi 786 in the Indian Ocean in order to use it as a mothership in future attacks, the Maritime Security Center Indian Ocean (MSCIO) reported.
According to the report, the incident took place some 400 nautical miles east of Mogadishu. Participants in Operation Atalanta, initiated by the European Union to combat piracy in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, are investigating.
Vessels operating in the area are strongly advised to avoid transiting within a 200-nautical-mile radius of the site of the attack, be prepared to implement security measures, and report any suspicious activity.
Pirates have stepped up their activities off Somalia’s coast in recent months, although various maritime patrol missions are active in the region. Earlier, attacks peaked in 2022, when 237 incidents were recorded in Somalia’s waters alone. Piracy damage to the world economy was estimated at $7 trillion, with $160 million paid to pirates in ransoms, the Oceans Beyond Piracy international monitoring group reported.
The Maritime Security Center Indian Ocean was established at the initiative of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) to enhance maritime security across the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf.