Somalia: Pirates attack Greek-owned tanker
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
Pirates have hijacked a Maltese-flagged tanker off the coast of Somalia, according to British maritime security company Ambrey.
The Greek-owned ship, the Hellas Aphrodite, is believed to be safe, and all 24 crew members are reported to be on board.
“The pirates are believed to have approached the tanker in a dinghy and opened fire on it,” Ambrey said in a statement, according to Reuters, adding that the pirates were operating from a small Iranian-flagged vessel that they had seized.
The vessel was sailing from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa, Ambrey said.
In a separate statement, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said unauthorised persons boarded a vessel southeast of Eil, Somalia.
It was not immediately clear whether Ambrey and UKMTO were referring to the same incident, but both reports cited similar distances from the Somali coast, according to Reuters.
Latsco Marine Management statement
In a statement, Latsco Marine Management said:
“Latsco Marine Management Inc. confirms a security incident on board its vessel, Hellas Aphrodite (IMO: 9722766).
The incident occurred at approximately 11:48 local time (UTC+4) on November 6, 2025, while the vessel, carrying a cargo of gasoline, was en route from Sikka, India to Durban, South Africa (approximately 550 nm off the coast of Somalia).
All 24 crew members are safe and accounted for, and we remain in close contact with them.
Latsco Marine Management Inc. has activated its emergency response team and is coordinating with the relevant authorities to ensure the continued safety and well-being of the crew.
For security reasons, no further information will be released at this time.
The Hellas Aphrodite (IMO: 9722766) is a 49,992 dwt product tanker, built in 2016 and flying the flag of Malta.”
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