A new crisis has arisen off the coast of Yemen after it was difficult to return an oil tanker named “MT Eureka”, which was hijacked off the coast of Shabwah province, with 12 Egyptian and Indian sailors on board. There are also suspicions that Yemenis are involved in this incident.
According to the “New York Times” media, citing an official from the Puntland administration in Somalia, the hijacking of this ship was carried out by armed Somali pirates, while there are also suspicions that Yemeni parties are involved in this operation.
The official added that ongoing investigations are looking into the possibility of links between the hijackers and armed groups operating in the region, including the Houthi group.
The report also indicated that the incident increases concerns about possible cooperation between pirates and armed groups, at a time when there are growing warnings about the security of maritime routes.
Meanwhile, the Yemeni Coast Guard said efforts to rescue the ship had faced major challenges due to limited boat capacity, which is not suitable for open sea operations.
They also said the ship, carrying around 2,800 tonnes of diesel, continued its journey towards the northeastern coast of Somalia, where it was being held by nine armed men, said to be Somalis, who were using a variety of weapons including an RPG.
The agency added that despite international cooperation, their role was limited to tracking and determining the ship’s location, but not to direct intervention.
