Somali Pirates Reportedly Hijack Iranian Vessel Off Somalia

Somali pirates seized the Iranian fishing vessel Azini off northeastern Somalia, taking control of a ship carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards. The crew’s safety and the vessel’s current whereabouts remain unknown. Maritime authorities warn that the Azini’s approach to a commercial shipping lane could let pirates use it as a base for further attacks, though no follow-on attacks have been confirmed. The European Union’s Operation Atalanta is investigating, and ships nearby have been urged to remain vigilant as Somali piracy resurfaces across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean.