🔗 Share this article European Union Naval Forces Rescue Sailors Following Somalia Piracy Incident on Vessel The Maltese-flagged tanker was seized by pirates on recently European Union naval forces have safely freed 24 sailors from a Maltese-flagged oil tanker that was attacked by sea robbers off the shoreline of Somalia. The Hellas Aphrodite, which was carrying petrol from India to South African destinations, was seized on the recent incident when armed pirates began shooting with machine guns and explosive projectiles before boarding the vessel. The crew secured themselves inside a secure safe room while the attackers took control of the marine transport. Mission Accomplished A naval vessel, operating under the EU's anti-piracy mission, arrived at the ship on Friday afternoon. Special forces entered the craft and discovered all two dozen sailors safe and sound. "All personnel is secure and no harm have been reported. Throughout the ordeal, they remained in the citadel in direct contact with the operation," authorities stated, adding that a "show of force" had prompted the pirates to abandon the ship before the naval unit arrived. Continuing Danger Authorities added that the danger level in the area "remains critical" as the armed groups are continue to be in the vicinity. The mission utilized a aircraft, drone and surveillance aircraft. Shortly before, another ship in the identical region was approached by a fast boat but managed to evade it. Resurgence of Piracy This event marks the latest in a spate of incidents that have created concern about a resurgence of piracy in the area. Such activity had declined when global maritime security and security measures were implemented after peaking more than a decade ago. Nevertheless, attacks by militant groups on vessels in the Arabian Sea, which have been conducted for the recent period, have caused ships to be rerouted through the African coastline - opening up new possibilities for local pirate groups. Incident Data Seven reported incidents of piracy took place off the coast of the Somali region last year Several vessel takeovers were documented among these incidents A single case of maritime crime was reported in 2023 Maritime security experts are closely watching the developments as vessel operators travel through these potentially hazardous shipping lanes.