Alert

Piracy

July 19, 2026, 1:56 p.m.

ALERT 78/26 MSCIO has received information regarding an incident at 06:30 UTC on 17 July 2026, 65NM southwest of Mukalla, Yemen, north of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). A merchant vessel has reportedly been hijacked by a Pirate Action Group (PAG) and is underway towards the Horn of Africa. Operation ATALANTA is investigating the incident and monitoring the vessel. Vessels operating in the area are advised to maintain heightened vigilance, adhere to BMP-MS, and report immediately any suspicious activity or relevant information to MSCIO and UKMTO. UPDATE01: Operation ATALANTA confirms that the merchant vessel has been hijacked by a Pirate Action Group (PAG) which remains on board. The vessel is currently reported to be approximately 19NM from Bereeda, Somalia, and continues to proceed towards Somali waters. Vessels operating in the area are strongly advised to maintain heightened vigilance, adhere to BMP-MS, particularly within 150NM off the Somali Coast between Bereeda and Mogadishu, and report immediately any suspicious activity or relevant information to MSCIO and UKMTO.