International maritime security sources stated on Thursday (November 6) that a Greek oil tanker flying the Maltese flag was attacked by pirates in the waters off Somalia, East Africa, a key international shipping lane. It is reported that the pirates opened fire on the tanker. The shipping company confirmed that its tanker “Hellas Aphrodite” was attacked on Thursday, and all 24 crew members are safe.
According to comprehensive reports from Reuters and UK Sky News on Thursday, Greek shipping operator Latsco Marine Management stated that the tanker “Hellas Aphrodite”, en route from Sikka, India to Durban, South Africa, experienced a “security incident” in the early hours of Thursday, East Africa time. However, all 24 crew members are safe and sound. The company has activated emergency response procedures and is coordinating with relevant departments to ensure the safety of the crew.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, with the cargo ship located in the waters near Eyl, a city in northern Somalia in the Indian Ocean. Eyl is near the Arabian Sea and was notorious for rampant piracy in the mid-2000s.
Personnel from Diaplous, a Greece-based maritime security company, revealed that at the time of the incident, the crew had taken refuge in the ship’s safe room, known as the “citadel.” At the time the news broke in the media, the 24 crew members were still inside the safe compartment. The shipping company has requested assistance from the EU naval force in East African waters. The EU naval force, which specifically carries out the “ATLANTA” mission targeting pirate attacks, has not yet responded to this incident.
UK maritime security firm Ambrey revealed that the pirates, aboard a small boat, opened fire on the tanker, firing rocket-propelled grenades and other small arms at the hull. Ambrey pointed out that this small boat is reportedly an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel previously hijacked by pirates.
The East African waters are a necessary passage for shipping routes to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, and are also difficult to avoid for Indian Ocean shipping. There have been frequent reports of ships being attacked by armed groups recently. The EU naval force, which specifically carries out the “ATLANTA” mission against pirate attacks, had previously taken action and warned shipping companies that pirate groups are active in Somali waters and that attacks are “almost certain to occur.”
Data shows that the oil tanker “Hellas Aphrodite” is 183 meters long, 32 meters wide, and was built in 2016. Prior to the attack on the “Hellas Aphrodite” on Thursday, a chemical tanker flying the Cayman Islands flag, the “Stolt Sagaland”, was also attacked by pirates, with armed personnel on board engaging in a firefight with the pirates.
Bermuda-based Norwegian shipping company Stolt-Nielsen has confirmed an attempted attack on the vessel on November 3rd, and all personnel on board are safe.
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