Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals have been hijacked by armed pirates in separate incidents off Yemen and Somalia, according to a senior Shipping Ministry official. Preliminary information indicates that the Indian crew members aboard both vessels are safe.
The first incident involved the Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker M.T. Sibu 1, which was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on August 20, approximately 30 nautical miles off the Yemeni coast. The vessel was carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians, one Syrian, one Sudanese, and one Iraqi national, while the nationality of another seafarer remains unconfirmed.
According to the Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) agency, S K S Krishi Marine Services (Opc) Private Limited, six armed pirates boarded the vessel and took control. Maritime tracking information indicates the tanker was approached by an unauthorized vessel before contact and control were lost. The RPSL agency has been advised to submit an incident report and subsequent periodic updates through the e-Navik online marine casualty reporting system.
In a separate incident on August 17, the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship M/V LUTUF was hijacked off Somalia's Puntland district. The vessel was seized about 3½ nautical miles off Marraya in Eyl district and subsequently steered toward Somalia's Nugaal coast. Maritime security reports state the ship was boarded by eight pirates armed with AK-47 type weapons operating from two skiffs.
The 10-person crew of M/V LUTUF includes six Indians, one Turkish national, one Georgian national, and two Serbian security guards. The vessel was carrying Turkish weapons, communications, and satellite equipment destined for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu. Reports indicate that while the crew initially mustered in the citadel, the pirates gained access and brought them to the bridge. No injuries have been reported so far.
These developments highlight ongoing security pressures facing commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the wider Indian Ocean region. Maritime corridors have seen increased piracy activity alongside attacks linked to regional conflicts. Indian seafarers have also faced heightened security concerns in other areas, such as the Strait of Hormuz amid regional tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the US.
These incidents carry significant implications for India, which the 2026 BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report estimates supplies 311,936 seafarers, making the country the world's second-largest supplier of maritime crew after the Philippines and underscoring its heavy exposure to global shipping risks.
"The recent hijacking of commercial vessels carrying Indian nationals highlights the critical operational risks that maritime supply chains face today. With India being the world's second-largest supplier of seafarers, international trade stability and crew safety directly impact global commerce and logistics networks. Businesses and maritime operators must prioritize robust security protocols and real-time risk management to protect personnel and maintain resilient supply routes." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
