Somali Pirates Utilize Iranian Hijacked Dhow in Series of Attacks on Commercial Vessels in Indian Ocean
All 24 crew members retreated to the citadel and remained safe throughout the event. European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta intervened swiftly
INDIAN OCEAN — Somali pirates boarded the Malta-flagged chemical and oil products tanker Hellas Aphrodite on November 6, approximately 560 nautical miles southeast of Eyl in Somalia, utilizing an Iranian-flagged hijacked dhow as a mothership to launch the assault.
The tanker, en route from Sikka in India to Durban in South Africa with a cargo of gasoline, encountered gunfire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades fired by attackers in a skiff before they gained access.
All 24 crew members retreated to the citadel and remained safe throughout the event. European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta intervened swiftly, with Spanish special forces from the frigate Victoria securing the tanker on November 7. The vessel resumed its journey under escort after the pirates departed.
This boarding represents the first successful seizure of a commercial vessel by Somali pirates since May 2024, signaling a resurgence in such operations despite a broader decline since 2012.
The mothership, identified as the Iranian-flagged dhow Issamohamadi with MMSI 422368700, had been hijacked in recent weeks and linked to multiple suspicious approaches off the Somali coast prior to the attack.
This enabled the pirates to conduct operations far offshore, extending beyond traditional coastal ranges. Following the incident, joint naval efforts continued to locate and intercept the dhow. The Hellas Aphrodite, constructed in 2016 with IMO number 9722766 and gross tonnage of 29,410, did not carry an armed security team, a common vulnerability in high-risk areas.
Operation Atalanta’s mandate, extended through 2026 by the European Council, emphasizes deterrence through patrols, convoy escorts, and rapid response in the Western Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Maritime assessments indicate that pirate action groups increasingly repurpose captured vessels to sustain extended activities.
Visual records from Operation Atalanta show the frigate Victoria positioned alongside the tanker during the escort, with monitoring conducted via Tecnobit systems. The multinational crew was confirmed unharmed by operator Latsco Marine Management.
A subsequent suspicious approach occurred on November 7, where a small craft targeted another vessel before returning to the same mothership. Since November 2023, over 20 fishing vessels and four commercial ships have been hijacked, contributing to this escalation.
Coalition forces, including the Combined Maritime Forces, coordinate intelligence to dismantle networks, while economic conditions in Somalia drive recruitment into piracy.
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