Somali pirates have seized an Iranian fishing vessel carrying 23 people, the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean said, warning that the ship was approaching a commercial shipping lane and could become a floating base for further attacks.
The Azini was hijacked Thursday between the coastal towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun in northeastern Somalia, a maritime security officer with the Puntland Maritime Police Force said Sunday.
The officer told The Associated Press that 12 pirates seized the vessel, which was carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak with the media.
The crew’s safety was unknown, the centre said in an alert dated Saturday. In an updated warning, it said that pirates could use the vessel as a “mother ship” to support attacks on commercial vessels.
The European Union’s naval Operation Atalanta was investigating. The centre urged ships in the area to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
The seizure follows a resurgence of Somali piracy across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean.
