As Navies Focus on Red Sea Houthis, Somali Pirates Are Making a Comeback
- Piracy incidents have increased sharply since late last year
- Houthi militants have been drawing navies’ attention
This article is for subscribers only.
With western navies focused on trying to quell Houthi militants’ attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea, Somali pirates are quietly showing signs of making a comeback.
In December, they hijacked their first ship in six years when the commodity carrier Ruen was boarded and taken to a port in the east African country, according to the International Maritime Bureau, a piracy watchdog. Figures from the European Union Naval Force show there have been further attempts since then, and this week the UK Navy issued an advisory to shipping cautioning that pirates are operating in the Indian Ocean.