Somali Pirates Abandon Hijacked UAE Dhow After Failed Attacks In Arabian Sea

Somali pirates have abandoned a hijacked Emirati dhow in the Arabian Sea after failing to use the vessel to launch attacks on other ships, security officials in Somalia’s Puntland region told AFP.

The lemon-laden dhow, identified as Fahad-4, was seized in late April by an 11-member pirate group about 10 nautical miles off the coastal town of Dhinowda in northeastern Somalia.

According to Puntland security officials, the pirates departed from an area near the port of Garacad, around 600km north of Mogadishu, before hijacking the vessel.

Officials said the pirates later used the dhow as a mothership while moving through Somali waters in an attempt to target other vessels operating in the region.

However, the group abandoned the ship on May 4 after failing to carry out further attacks.

Puntland officials told AFP the pirates faced supply shortages and were unable to approach commercial vessels because ships sailing through Somali waters had increased security alert levels in recent weeks.

There was no immediate information on the fate of the crew aboard Fahad-4, and Somali authorities had not publicly commented on the vessel’s status at the time of reporting.

The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), a multinational maritime security body monitoring the Indian Ocean, recently raised piracy threat levels to “severe” following a series of attacks targeting commercial shipping routes.

Several vessels hijacked in recent weeks reportedly remain under pirate control.

Maritime monitors said pirates seized the Bajan-flagged tanker Honour 25 off Puntland on April 21. Days later, the Syrian-flagged M/V Sward was also hijacked off the Somali coast.

Across the Gulf of Aden, pirates took control of the Togo-flagged petrol tanker Eureka off Yemen before steering the vessel towards Somali waters.

In a recent security bulletin, the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean, linked to the European naval force operating around the Horn of Africa, stated it was “almost certain” that Fahad-4 was involved in an attempted attack on the Maltese tanker M/V Minerva Pisces on April 28.

According to the bulletin, a dhow approached the tanker before the suspected boarding party withdrew after an armed security team appeared on deck.

It remains unclear which groups are behind the latest series of hijackings. Previous piracy incidents in the region involved local fishermen and armed groups, including factions linked to ISIL and al-Qaeda.

Since 2023, several anti-piracy patrols have reportedly been redirected towards the Red Sea to respond to attacks by Yemen-based Houthi forces near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Some naval forces that previously focused on Somali piracy operations have also been occupied with escort and security operations linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

Experts also said rising fuel prices linked to the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran may have increased the value of fuel tankers for pirate groups.

According to the World Bank, Somali piracy at its peak cost the global economy as much as $18bn annually.

Why Pirates Use Dhows

A dhow is a traditional cargo vessel commonly used across the Arabian Sea and Gulf region for transporting goods between ports. Because of their size, slower speed, and lower onboard security, dhows are often vulnerable to pirate attacks.

Pirate groups have historically used hijacked fishing boats and dhows as “motherships” to extend their operating range further into busy international shipping lanes.

These vessels allow attackers to carry fuel, weapons, boarding teams, and supplies.

The Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia remain strategically important shipping routes connecting the Indian Ocean with the Red Sea through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key corridor for global oil and container trade.

References: Al Jazeera, balitangmarino