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Suspected pirates seize vessel carrying cement off Somalia, the second hijacking incident in days

UKMTO said at least four vessels were targeted in a week as weather favored small-boat attacks and piracy activity picked up again after a lull.

  • On Sunday, armed pirates hijacked the St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo vessel Sward six nautical miles off Garacad, Somalia, with the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirming the ship is under pirate control.
  • Following the hijacking, the UKMTO raised the regional threat level to "substantial," warning that weather conditions remain conducive to small boat operations in the Indian Ocean.
  • The vessel departed from Egypt heading to Mombasa, Kenya, carrying a 15-person crew comprising two Indian nationals and 13 Syrians, according to Vanguard; nine pirates boarded and took control.
  • Officials are monitoring the situation as the Puntland Maritime Police Force has been notified and the vessel proceeds toward the Somali coastline, though no details regarding crew safety have been released.
  • At least four vessels have been targeted in suspected piracy incidents in the last week; the World Bank estimates pirates off the Horn of Africa earned between $339m and $413m in ransoms between 2005 and 2012.
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Suspected pirates seize vessel carrying cement off Somalia, the second hijacking incident in days

A cargo vessel flying the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis has been hijacked off Somalia’s coast. A local maritime security official says the ship was seized near Garacad in Puntland.

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Gulf News broke the news in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (the) on Monday, April 27, 2026.
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