News

The Indian Navy responded to a distress alert from the 'Fareeda 5' after a suspected piracy incident in the Western Indian Ocean, ensuring the safety of the ship and its crew through a swift operational response on June 17,, 2026. The tanker reported a possible piracy threat.. The Indian Navy deployed the frigate INS 'Trikand', which was operating in the region, to investigate the situation and prevent any hostile action. The crew assessed the threat, took deterrent measures and ensured that the ship could continue its voyage without incident. On May 27, the INS 'Kolkata' had thwarted a suspected piracy attempt near the m/v 'Mashallah 1'. It deployed its onboard helicopter and boarding teams to investigate suspicious activity and prevent a potential attack.

On June 14, 2026, the 'Greta Star', enroute from Salalah to Djibouti, was approached by two small skiffs, while sailing 14 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen, between Oman and Djibouti. The pirates attacked the ship with heavy firearms and attempted to board the vessel, and the security guards returned the fire for approximately 30 minutes. The ship was able to increase speed and prevent the boarding.

On June 10, 2026, the "Maria F", enroute from Tianjin, was attacked by six armed pirates near the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. The ship's security team returned the fire, forcing the attackers to abort the boarding attempt and flee. The bulk carrier continued it's voyage.

Negotiations aimed at securing the release of eight Egyptian crew members of the 'Eureka', held hostage by Somali pirates since May 2, have collapsed after the kidnappers withdrew from a preliminary agreement and demanded additional ransom payments. The talks had stalled after the pirates sought more money than had been agreed during earlier negotiations. The vessel was captured seized by armed pirates and was being held near Somalia’s Puntland coast. The negotiators had reached a preliminary agreement involving a $2 million ransom payment. However, the pirates later backed out of the deal and demanded additional funds, causing the negotiations to break down. Egypt’s Maritime Officers Association said all eight sailors remained alive. Some members of the crew have managed to make brief contact with their families. On May 18, the pirates released a video showing the sailors blindfolded and with their hands bound while warning shots were fired nearby, a recording that heightened fears among their relatives.

The 'Gul Bano', while underway in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore 3.2 nautical miles off Pulau Cula in pos. 1° 5.45 N 103° 43'88 E, enroute from Duqm to Quinzhou, was boarded by four perpetrators, one of them armed with a gun like object, on June 13, 2026, at 5.03 .a.m. The intruders were sighted in the engine room. While the crew members were not injured, some engine spares were stolen.