Greek shipping company Latsco Marine Management has confirmed its tanker, Hellas Aphrodite, was targeted 560 nautical miles southeast of Eyl, Somalia

THENS, (Reuters) -  Since 2024 Pirates boarded a Malta-flagged products tanker off Somalia firing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades have boarded but the crew took refuge in a fortified safe room and remain in control of the vessel, maritime security sources said. Greek shipping company Latsco Marine Management confirmed its vessel, Hellas Aphrodite, had been attacked in the early hours of Thursday.

A burst of armed attacks on vessels in the region

A burst of armed attacks on vessels in the region - including the first involving suspected Somali pirates in a year - has reignited concerns for shipping lanes used to transport critical energy and goods to global markets.as Reuters said

The Hellas Aphrodite and The European Union's naval force

The Hellas Aphrodite, ( sailing under the flag of Malta. ) which was carrying gasoline, was en route from India to South Africa when a "security incident" took place on Thursday morning, its Greek manager Latsco Marine Management said. All the crew were safe, it added.

The European Union's naval force said one of its assets was "close to the incident and closing distance, ready to take the appropriate actions to respond effectively to this piracy alert".

Related : IMB : Piracy decreased but kidnappings of seafarers increased

Still had control of the vessel
The crew members took shelter in the ship's "citadel", or fortified safe room, and still had control of the vessel, officials from maritime security company Diaplous and British maritime risk management group Vanguard said. The vessel's captain is Montenegrin, a source with knowledge of the operation said. Five of the crew members, including the chief engineer, are Greek and the rest are Filipino nationals, the source added.

All 24 crew are safe
"All 24 crew are safe and accounted for and we remain in close contact with them," Latsco Marine Management said in a statement.Latsco said it had activated its emergency response team and was coordinating with authorities to ensure the continued safety and welfare of the crew."The crew reported they could hear noise on the vessel," one of the maritime security sources said . A Japanese aircraft conducted a surveillance flight over the area, but did not detect any movement or signs of activity on the ship, the source added.

About :The Hellas Aphrodite

The current position of HELLAS APHRODITE is at East Africa reported 21 days ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to the port of Durban, South Africa, sailing at a speed of 11.7 knots and expected to arrive there on Nov 13, 09:30. The vessel HELLAS APHRODITE (IMO 9722766, MMSI 249452000) is a Chemical/Oil Products Tanker built in 2016 (9 years old) and currently
The last comparable boarding in the region 

It is noteworthy that the last comparable boarding in the region was in May 2024, when suspected pirates got onto the Liberian-flagged vessel Basilisk around 380 nautical miles east of Mogadishu. EU naval forces later rescued the 17 crew members after rappelling by fast-rope onto that vessel.
An Iranian fishing vessel

 On the other hand Maritime security sources said pirates had also taken over an Iranian fishing vessel this week for use as a mothership to launch attacks. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency issued an alert to warn ships in the area , It located the vessel 560 nautical miles southeast of Eyl, Somalia, in the Indian Ocean. Eyl became famous in the mid-2000s as the centre of a string of piracy attacks.

ICC : Threats to crew safety remain

ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO, had said in a previous reported "While we welcome the reduction in reported incidents,” said ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO, “the ongoing threats to crew safety remain a significant concern.

Source : Reuters + Others

UKMTO , Eyl, Somalia, Iranian fishing vessel , Pirates  , Latsco Marine Management , Diaplous ,Latsco Marine Management , . A Japanese aircraft , European Union's naval force ,crew ICC, John W.H. Denton