EU and Indian naval forces retook the Iranian dhow Issamohamadi after Somali pirates used it to seize the Malta-flagged tanker Hellas Aphrodite. A Spanish boarding team found the dhow’s original crew safe, and Operation Atalanta said the pirate group in the area has been disrupted and evidence will be submitted for prosecution. Piracy off Somalia peaked in 2011 but has recently risen again amid regional instability linked to Houthi activity in the Red Sea; seven incidents were reported in 2024.
EU and Indian Navies Retake Dhow Used by Somali Pirates After Tanker Hijack
EU and Indian naval forces retook the Iranian dhow Issamohamadi after Somali pirates used it to seize the Malta-flagged tanker Hellas Aphrodite. A Spanish boarding team found the dhow’s original crew safe, and Operation Atalanta said the pirate group in the area has been disrupted and evidence will be submitted for prosecution. Piracy off Somalia peaked in 2011 but has recently risen again amid regional instability linked to Houthi activity in the Red Sea; seven incidents were reported in 2024.
02:18 PM, 11/12/2025Security
EU and Indian Navies Retake Dhow Used by Somali Pirates
DUBAI — European Union and Indian naval forces announced on Wednesday that they have retaken control of an Iranian fishing vessel, the Issamohamadi, which Somali pirates had used as a "mother ship" in the seizure of the Malta-flagged tanker Hellas Aphrodite.
The Issamohamadi, a traditional Persian Gulf dhow, was found abandoned off the Somali coast after last week’s capture of the tanker, which was transporting gasoline from India to South Africa. A boarding team from the Spanish frigate ESPS Victoria boarded the dhow and reported that the vessel's original crew were "in good condition, safe and free." Iran has not publicly acknowledged the vessel’s seizure.
Operation Atalanta, the EU naval force, said the pirate group "operating in the area has been definitely disrupted." The force added that units have "gathered evidence and intelligence of the incident that, together with the evidence collected on board Merchant Tanker Hellas Aphrodite, will be submitted to support the legal prosecution of the perpetrators."
"We aim to preserve maritime security, protect crews and ensure those responsible face justice," Operation Atalanta said.
Background and regional context
Somali piracy peaked in 2011 with 237 reported attacks; that year the phenomenon cost the global economy an estimated $7 billion, including roughly $160 million paid in ransoms, according to the Oceans Beyond Piracy monitoring group. A sustained international naval presence, stronger Somali governance and other measures subsequently reduced attacks for several years.
However, incidents have risen again over the past year. Analysts link the uptick in part to regional instability, including strikes by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea corridor amid the Israel-Hamas war, which disrupted shipping and raised security risks. The Houthis have signaled a pause in their strikes as a fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza.
According to the International Maritime Bureau, there were seven reported incidents off Somalia in 2024. So far this year multiple fishing vessels have been seized by Somali pirates, and the hijacking of the Hellas Aphrodite is the first commercial ship taken off Somalia since May 2024.
The EU and allied units say the evidence collected will be used to pursue legal action against those responsible, underscoring a continued international commitment to maritime security in the region.