Chemical tanker seized off Yemen coast in suspected Somali pirate hijack

Chemical tanker seized off Yemen coast in suspected Somali pirate hijack

The Asana, a small tanker with no confirmed flag, had listed the Somali port of Bosaso as its next destination

The small tanker, which had no confirmed flag, had listed the Somali port of Bosaso as its next destination, ship tracking data showed.

A vessel was boarded by unauthorised personnel while transiting east in ‌the Gulf of Aden, 65 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukalla port, the British navy agency UKMTO said on Friday.

“Details ‌regarding the number of assailants, the circumstances of the boarding, and ⁠the status of ⁠the vessel and crew remain unclear,” British maritime risk management group Vanguard said.

Efforts were under way to assist the Asana tanker and determine the circumstances of ⁠what happened, said an official with the European Union’s Aspides naval mission, which is ‌active in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region. A South Korean warship was in the area, the official said.

← Science