Tuesday November 11, 2025
An EU naval warship approaches an Iranian-flagged dhow in the Indian Ocean during an operation to secure the hijacked tanker Hellas Aphrodite. The dhow, believed to have been used as a pirate mother ship, was later seized off Somalia’s northwest coast. (Photo: EUNAVFOR Atalanta)
Mogadishu (HOL) — European naval forces have seized an Iranian-flagged dhow used as a mother ship in the hijacking of the tanker Hellas Aphrodite off Somalia, rescuing all 24 crewmembers unharmed and delivering one of the most significant counter-piracy successes in the Western Indian Ocean this year.
Operation ATALANTA, the European Union’s naval mission, said the dhow was found abandoned on Somalia’s northwestern coast after the pirates fled the tanker during a 30-hour standoff roughly 700 nautical miles off Mogadishu. The Spanish warship ESPS Victoria and an Indian Navy vessel closed in on the hijacked tanker, prompting the pirates to escape.
A boarding team secured the dhow, verified the identities of its crew and conducted medical checks that confirmed they were “in good condition, safe and free.” ATALANTA said evidence recovered on both vessels will support legal action against the pirate group. Somali federal authorities and Puntland officials are cooperating with international forces as the search for the suspects continues.
The response drew on several international partners. The Victoria deployed a helicopter, uncrewed aerial vehicles and a Special Operations Unit, while Spain’s VIGMA D4 maritime aircraft provided surveillance. Support also came from the Indian Navy, a Japanese P-3C operating under the Combined Maritime Forces, the Seychellois Air Force and Somali maritime agencies.
The dhow seizure followed an eight-day campaign in which the same pirates attempted to hijack the Stolt Aphrodite on November 3 and the fishing vessel Intertuna Tres on November 2, according to EOS Risk Group. ATALANTA had assessed it was “highly likely” that an Iranian dhow hijacked on October 28, believed to be the Issamohamadi, served as the pirates’ mother ship. The vessel was not broadcasting AIS signals.
Naval officials said the attacks reflect a renewed surge in Somali piracy that began in late 2023 with a series of dhow hijackings. ATALANTA recorded dozens of incidents in 2024, including the MV Ruen, freed after three months by the Indian Navy, and the MV Abdullah, released after a reported ransom payment.
With piracy risks rising again along one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors, ATALANTA urged merchant and vulnerable vessels to enroll in the Maritime Security Centre’s Voluntary Registration Scheme to enable faster monitoring and response.
The increase in attacks comes as instability in Yemen, Houthi threats to shipping and political tensions in the Horn of Africa create conditions that pirate networks see as opportunities. UK Maritime Trade Operations recorded at least three piracy-related incidents off Somalia this month.
Somalia’s parliament recently approved new anti-piracy legislation, though the country continues to rely on foreign militaries to secure key waters and protect strategic infrastructure. Somalia, which received 4.5 billion dollars in debt relief last year, remains engaged in a fight against al-Shabaab and other armed groups as it rebuilds after decades of conflict.