Somali pirates seized the Tanzania-flagged oil tanker Asana off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden.

Somali pirates seized the oil and chemical tanker Asana off the coast of Yemen on Friday. The vessel was boarded by unauthorized personnel approximately 65 nautical miles south of the port of Mukalla. The Tanzania-flagged tanker was en route to Bosaso, Somalia, when it issued a distress call after being ambushed by a group of armed pirates. The Yemeni coastguard confirmed the hijacking occurred roughly 26 nautical miles off the Hadramawt province. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the ship, which lacked an armed security team, is currently moving slowly toward Somalia. International naval units and a Yemeni coastguard boat are currently tracking the vessel's movements to verify the condition of the crew. This incident marks a significant resurgence of Somali piracy in a region that was largely dormant for a decade. Analysts attribute the renewed activity to naval forces being stretched thin by regional conflicts and shipping traffic being pushed closer to Somali waters.

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