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Authorities believed that the eight pirates who captured the ' Lutuf' were linked to a group involved in the hijacking of the 'Sward' in April were behind the seizure. The vessel was taken towards the coast near Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district, while The movement of the ship towards the coast suggested an attempt by the hijackers to establish a more secure position, while negotiations or further demands could potentially be organised. Officials have not disclosed whether any ransom demands have been made. The vessel, owned by the Polar Movement Shipping, was transporting weapons destined for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu. In addition to the weapons shipment, the vessel was carrying communications systems and satellite equipment, according to the official. The seizure placed sensitive military cargo in the hands of armed pirates and came at a time when Turkey maintained a significant security presence in Somalia through military training and defence cooperation programmes. In the aftermath of the hijacking, Turkish-linked maritime and aerial assets began monitoring the situation. Two Turkish-owned vessels moved into the vicinity of the ship. Turkish helicopters and drones were also deployed over the area, providing aerial surveillance and tracking movements around the hijacked vessel. The monitoring operation underscored the strategic importance of the cargo and Turkey’s interest in developments surrounding the ship. The situation escalated further on Aug 18, when a small boat, carrying two men, approached the hijacked ship. The boat delivered khat, a stimulant leaf widely chewed in Somalia, before returning to shore. Shortly afterwards, an airstrike was carried out in the area. The strike killed four men and injured two others. The identities of those killed and wounded have not been disclosed, while it remained unclear which military force conducted the operation.

An airstrike off the coast of Garmaal in Somalia’s Nugaal region killed four suspected pirates on Aug 18, one day after they allegedly had hijacked the 'Lutuf', which was bound for Mogadishu. The four men were in a small boat heading toward the coast when they were targeted. Puntland security officials said the drone used in the strike belonged to the Turkish government. The men were among eight pirates who had entered the 'Lutuf' off the coast of Marraya in the Eyl district on Aug 17.

The 'Lutuf', with ten people on board, among them six Indians, one Turk and one Georgian crew member as well as two Serbian guards, and a cargo of Turkish weapons and communication and satellite equipment on board, was hijacked four nautical miles south of Mareeyo off the coast of Somalia on Aug 17, 2026. The ship was boarded by eight armed persons at around 11.36 a.m. UTC, who subsequently took control of the vessel. The status of the crew remained unconfirmed, while the authorities were investigating. The 'Lutuf' had departed Tekirdag on July 24 enroute to Dar es Salaam. On Aug 17 at approximately 10:50 a.m., she was proceeding southwest, but just over 20 minutes later, the vessel had reversed course to proceed northeast at approximately 9.8 knots on a course of 55°. By 11:25 a.m., the 'Lutuf' had reduced speed to approximately 2.7 knots and altered sharply westward toward the Somali coast. The AIS transmission ceased at 12.27 p.m., when the vessel was around three nautical miles south of Mareeyo. The abrupt course reversals, speed changes and subsequent movement toward the Somali coastline are consistent with the vessel being taken under the control of the armed boarders. EU’s naval Operation Atalanta was monitoring the vessel. There were four merchant vessels with 44 seafarers held by Somali pirate groups as of 16 August, the Palau-flagged product tanker 'Honour 25', hijacked on April 21, 2026, the Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo m/v 'Sward', hijacked on April 26, the Togo-flagged product tanker 'Eureka', hijacked on May 5, 2026, and the Tansania-flagged product/chemical tanker 'Asana', hijacked on July 17, 2026.

The 'Hafnia Raven' was boarded by three to four armed perpetrators, while being berthed at the Chittagong Port Area, on Aug 10, 2026, at 3.45 a.m., in pos. 22°16.36' N 91°48.47' E. Some ship stores were stolen, the crew was not injured. The ship left Chittagong again on Aug 12, headed to Karachi with an ETA as of Aug 20.

On Aug 20, 2026, the 'Sibu 1' was hijacked by six armed men 136 nautical miles east of Yemen's Mukalla, where the tanker, travelling west in the Gulf of Aden, reported being approached by an unauthorised vessel, and thrn diverted towards Somalia. Before losing control, the crew managed to change the ship’s AIS destination to the message: "PIRATE ONBOARD HELP". The tanker was under U.S. sanctions for allegedly operating as part of an Iranian "shadow fleet" transporting illicit petroleum products. This was the second successful hijacking in just four days, following the seizure of the cargo vessel 'Lutuf' on Aug 17, despite the rough seas of the Southwest monsoon season.