Oil Tanker Hijacked Off Yemen Coast, Headed Toward Somalia

The Yemeni Coast Guard reported on Saturday, May 2, 2026, that an oil tanker was hijacked off the coast of Shabwa province and steered toward Somali waters.

The vessel, identified as the M/T EUREKA, was boarded and taken under control by unidentified armed individuals in the Gulf of Aden, according to a statement from pro-government Coast Guard troops.

Officials confirmed they received a report earlier in the day regarding the hijacking before the vessel was directed toward the coast of Somalia.

Regional Maritime Security

The incident occurs amid a broader pattern of maritime instability in the region. While piracy off the Somali coast was most rampant during the 2000s, recent activity has raised concerns regarding the resurgence of such attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

The hijacking of the M/T EUREKA follows other reports of maritime disruptions in the area, including the hijacking of a ship carrying fertilizer destined for Mombasa, which has impacted agricultural supplies for farmers.

Security analysts have pointed to the volatility in the Middle East and the ongoing conflict in Yemen as contributing factors to the weakened maritime security environment, which can be exploited by piracy groups and armed militants.

The Gulf of Aden remains one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes, serving as a primary conduit for oil and commercial goods traveling between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal. The vulnerability of these waters is often exacerbated by the internal instability within Yemen and Somalia, where central government control over coastal regions remains fragmented.