A Somali pirate group has reportedly hijacked an oil tanker off the eastern coast of Yemen, according to Yemeni Coast Guard authorities.
The Yemeni Coast Guard said the tanker, identified as ASANA, was seized about 26 nautical miles off the coast of Hadramout Governorate after it was attacked by suspected Somali pirates.
Authorities said the vessel was subsequently taken towards the southeastern coast of Somalia, where search and tracking efforts are currently underway.
The Coast Guard did not disclose the ownership of the tanker, its intended destination, or the number and nationality of crew members on board.
The incident marks the fourth vessel to be hijacked by Somali pirate groups in recent months, raising fresh concerns over the resurgence of piracy in the waters off the Horn of Africa.
Currently, three other vessels remain under the control of Somali pirate groups along the coasts of Bari and Mudug regions in Puntland, where the captors are reportedly demanding ransom payments for their release.
Maritime security experts have warned of an increase in pirate activity in the region, posing renewed risks to international shipping routes through the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean.
Investigations into the latest hijacking are ongoing, and Yemeni authorities say efforts to locate and recover the vessel continue.
