“Pirates Onboard Help”. This was the distress message broadcast by the product tanker Sibu 1 before it changed course when it was sailing 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen, on 20 August 2026.

The hijacking was eerily similar to what was depicted in the movie Captain Phillips. The tanker, formerly known as the Seamull, had reported an unauthorised vessel approaching before six armed pirates boarded the tanker, took control and redirected it towards the Somali coast, away from its intended destination, Port Sudan.

The tanker had 20 crew on board: 16 Indian, one Iraqi, one Sudanese, and one Syrian, who all remain safe as the vessel is currently docked along the coast of Somalia. It was sanctioned by the United States , as part of a crackdown on Iran’s shadow fleet as it was reportedly involved in transporting Iranian petroleum products and had called at ports in Yemen controlled by Houthis.

Is Somali piracy really back?

Somali piracy seems to be creeping back, and the latest incidents prove that the evidence continues to increase.

On 21 April 2026, the Honour 25, a Palau-flagged oil tanker, was hijacked near the Somali shore with 17 crew on board and transporting 18,500 barrels of oil. The ship was overrun by six armed pirates and is still being held by the pirates.

Only five days later, on 26 April 2026, another ship, the Sward, a Saint Kitts & Nevis-flagged ship, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia by a different group of pirates while heading to Kenya. It was carrying fertiliser.

Shockingly, on 02 May 2026, the Eureka, a Togo- flagged oil tanker, was hijacked as it was anchored near the port of Qana, in the Gulf of Aden and redirected to Somalia.

On 17 July 2026, the Asana, a Tanzania- flagged oil tanker, was hijacked off Yemen’s coast and also redirected to Somalia.

A month later, the Cameroonian-flagged MV Lutuf was hijacked on 17 August 2026 off Somalia’s coast.

According to AP News, the vessel was transporting weapons to a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu.

Only three days later, on 20 August 2026, the Sibu 1 was also hijacked.

However, Turkish and Somali forces have since freed the MV Lutuf, according to Deutsche Welle.

“During the 10-day operation, four boats used by the pirates were destroyed, and 14 pirates were killed,” said a Somali Defence Ministry statement. It added: “The sustained military pressure finally forced the remaining pirates to abandon the ship.”

According to the International Maritime Bureau, 38 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were recorded in the first half of 2026. In comparison to previous years, this was a decline; however, Somali piracy remains a threat because 10 to 15 out of the 38 incidents were by Somali pirates.

So why does Somali piracy still remain a threat ?

Piracy actually begins on land. According to Global Finance’s 2026 list of the poorest countries, Somalia ranks 7th. The country continues to grapple with high rates of poverty, unemployment, and flooding, which is then followed by severe drought, political instability and terrorism from the militia group Al-Shabaab.

As earlier reported by Open African Tribune, pirate groups exploit young people’s lack of opportunities to recruit them, despite the many risks involved. A successful hijacking can generate way more income than most legitimate opportunities available to them.

Despite its extensive coastline, the country cannot fully benefit from fishing due to the rise in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which costs it an estimated $300 million annually.

As oil prices go up, so does the value of oil tankers, putting pirates in the position of holding increasingly valuable cargo at gunpoint, Matthew Reisener, Senior National Security Advisor for the Centre of Maritime Strategy, said. They demand ransom for the release of the ships; for example, they demanded $10 million for the release of the Eureka, which is still being held. The pirates also demanded $3 million for the release of hostages captured on the Honour 25 tanker.

According to Al Jazeera, seasonal conditions may also play a part. Attacks typically fall during the winter monsoon due to high winds, which make it difficult to board target vessels. Rough seas keep small boats close to shore. Piracy then rises again as the waters calm during the inter-monsoon windows.

Piracy, a crime of opportunity

“Piracy is always a crime of opportunity, and right now the pirates see an opportunity.” says Omar Mahmood, a senior Somalia analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG).

As Iran and the US continue to fight over control of the Strait of Hormuz, more attention and resources are drawn towards that ongoing conflict, creating a security vacuum that the pirates seem to be capitalising on.

Furthermore, Tehran’s Houthi allies in Yemen are imposing a blockade in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which controls the Red Sea, further diverting attention and resources away from piracy, or so the pirates seem to believe. The strait links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, making it a crucial passage for international trade.

“If you are talking about threats, the current attacks on the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz have an impact on the Gulf of Aden because [they are] affecting maritime security. Pirates use this opportunity and the distraction of maritime forces globally to carry out more attacks in this area, because they know that everyone is busy [looking in another direction],” Abdurrahim Muhammad Ali of the Djibouti Maritime Authority.

The Red Sea connection

Security gaps have widened because of the diverted attention and resources to controlling drone strikes and attacks on critical maritime corridors.

According to ADF Magazine, it is believed that Houthi rebels are actually collaborating with Somali pirates. The growing relationship between Al-Shabaab and the Houthis has led pirates to use more advanced weaponry and technology, including GPS satellite devices believed to help them track shipping vessels accurately.

The Houthis also benefit from this collaboration because the pirates increase maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Aden without requiring the Houthis to bear significant risks associated with renewed escalation in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, thereby creating their own operations. If other parties were pirating ships, they would be hard to single out because all the attention is drawn to Somali pirates.

“If the Al-Shabaab and the Houthis formalize a relationship where they take control of the Red Sea, the Bab-el Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden, and have the Somali pirates be a part of that militant organization, it would fundamentally change the dynamic in the region,” Corey Ranslem, CEO at Dryad Global, a global maritime cybersecurity and risk intelligence firm, told  CNBC. “It could mean Houthi technology, including missiles, drones, and drone capabilities, becomes available to the Somali pirates, and then risks grow disproportionately,” he added.

Are Somali pirates exploiting regional instability?

According to Brett Erickson, a managing principal at Obsidian Risk Advisors, the risk of American intervention is lower because many resources are directed to the Middle East. He added that piracy alone may not be enough to fundamentally disrupt global shipping. Still, every additional attack matters when companies are already dealing with disruptions elsewhere in the region.

Houthi attacks on the Red Sea drive ships closer to the Somali coastline near pirate hotspots, making them attractive and vulnerable to attacks. Naval forces that would otherwise patrol the area have been diverted elsewhere, creating a perfect pirate ‘hunting’ ground.

Al Jazeera reports that investors finance the pirates, often Yemen and Somali businesspeople.

Furthermore, according to a World Bank publication, there are different beneficiaries of piracy:

•  Investors, also called Money Kingpins, who are in the middle of the operations and collect 30-50% of ransom payments collected by the pirates.
• Foot soldiers, low-level pirates who typically receive $30,000-$75,000 per ship.
•  The local community, which provides goods and services to the pirates.

What happened to the international anti-piracy effort?

In 2011, Somalia accounted for well over half of all piracy attacks reported worldwide, resulting in losses of about $6.6-$6.9 billion.

However, security efforts to curb the attacks included NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield, the European Union’s Operation Atalanta, and the US-led Combined Task Force 151, which increased naval patrols. At the same time, shipping companies hardened vessels and changed procedures.

Sure enough, the attacks dropped significantly, and NATO ended its counter-piracy mission in 2016.

The long period of calm was misleading. Security measures relaxed, and naval patrols decreased, creating an opportunity for the vice to crop up again. The pirates admitted to using the same strategies as before, but now they have advanced technology.

How important is the Gulf of Aden?

The Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea are crucial to global trade because they link Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. They serve as a maritime corridor through which commercial ships, energy supplies, and global trade pass.

Historically, they have handled 12% of global seaborne trade and 30% of the world’s container ship traffic.

The Gulf of Aden is an essential transit route for Middle Eastern oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Millions of barrels of oil pass through daily, supplying European markets with crude and refined petroleum products.

According to the Times of Israel, the security and stability of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden directly affect the global economy. Any disruption to maritime traffic can increase transportation costs, delay supply chains, and threaten international energy markets. As a result, regional and global powers have invested heavily in securing influence along this strategic corridor.

Protective measures that can be taken

Some vessels have actually changed routes; however, it comes at a cost.

According to Suaid Global, the world’s major ocean carriers send vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, which adds 3,000 to 3,500 nautical miles (5,556-6,482 kilometres) and adds 10-14 days to Asia-Europe and Asia-US East Coast voyages. This reroute ripples through rates, capacity, schedules, and supply chains worldwide.

Another alternative is to use air freight, especially for critical shipments. It may be more expensive, but if a sea route changes, the price difference may not be significant.

The Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO) shares guidelines for enhancing ship security. This includes:

• Using razor wire as a barrier, CCTV cameras, alarms, lighting and citadels (safe rooms)
•  Using private maritime security companies
• Using privately contracted armed security personnel

Somalia’s responsibility

Somalia has a big responsibility in fighting piracy.

In 2025, Somalia approved a new Anti-Piracy Law to strengthen maritime security. The original anti-piracy law was enacted in 1975. The revised law now has:

• Stronger penalties for the crimes.
• Clearer definitions
• Expanded scope, including illegal fishing, hijacking at sea, hostage-taking, and violent robbery at sea.
• Improved legal procedures to ensure fair investigations and trials.

Other ways in which the country is curbing the vice are:

• Joint military efforts, such as the collaboration with Turkish forces to fight pirates and free the MV Lutuf.
• Regional cooperation, where regional maritime authorities participated in UN-backed intelligence-sharing programs in Nairobi alongside Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Yemen to track maritime crime.
• Improving port security: In early August, Puntland’s president signed an agreement with a visiting US military delegation to deepen maritime security cooperation around Bosaso, its main port.
• Al Jazeera reports that Saudi Arabia formed a maritime military coalition with 13 other countries, including Somalia.

Any disruption in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea maritime corridors affects shipping routes, supply chains and the movement of goods far beyond the region. Because of this, Somalia and Yemen are in talks to tighten security in the area. The two countries are on opposite sides of the crucial waterways — the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb strait — so increased coordination would benefit both sides.

For Somalia, Yemen’s reaffirmation of support for its territorial integrity is particularly significant as Mogadishu continues to oppose any measures it considers a challenge to the country’s sovereignty.

It is quite clear that this may not be a battle that Somalia can fight on its own, and it should not be. Most people would tend to picture Captain Phillips whenever they come across anything to do with pirates, so in that spirit.

“There’s gotta be something other than being a fisherman and kidnapping people.” Captain Phillips.