Somali Pirates Hijack Iranian Fishing Vessel Azini

Armed Somali pirates hijacked the Iranian fishing vessel Azini at 0900 GMT on October 29 off the northeastern coast of Somalia. The seizure occurred between the towns of Bandar Beyla and Xaafun in the Puntland region. Approximately 12 gunmen captured the ship and its 23 crew members, consisting of 21 Iranian fishermen and two Somali guards.

Operation Atalanta, the European Union's naval mission, is currently investigating the incident. The Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO) reported that the vessel transited further east toward common merchant shipping routes by Saturday. The MSCIO warned that the Azini could be used as a "mother ship" to launch attacks on larger commercial vessels that are beyond the reach of pirate speedboats.

This event marks the third Iranian fishing boat hijacked in the area since July and follows a broader resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. At least 15 attacks have been reported since April, including the seizure of six commercial vessels and a deadly September shootout on the tanker Honour 25 that left five hostages dead. The hijacking contradicts recent claims by the president of Puntland that security operations were eliminating piracy in the region.