Somali authorities seize India-South bound ship over suspect documents

New Delhi: On Thursday, off the coast of Somalia, riflemen armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled guns attacked and seized a ship. The ship was traveling from India to South Africa. It is believed to be carried out by Somali pirates. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre issued an alert about the attack and warned troops in the area. An Iranian vessel also seized Private security firm Embrey also reported the attacks on the vessel. Embrey said the attack was carried out on a Maltese-flagged vessel sailing from Durban, South Africa, to India. Embrey further stated that the attack was aimed at Somali pirates, who have been reported to be active in the area in recent days. Previously, Somali pirates also reportedly captured an Iranian fishing boat. However, the Iranian government has not acknowledged the boat's occupation. Somali Piracy at Its Peak in 2011 Piracy off the coast of Somalia reached its peak in 2011, with 237 reported attacks on various vessels. According to the Oceans Beyond Piracy Monitoring Group, Somali pirates in the region at the time had caused losses to the global economy of approximately $7 billion, of which $16 million was attributed to piracy. Although Somalia has subsequently gained prominence in the international maritime market, the central government's strong position and other efforts have reduced this threat. Memories of the Maratha on the ship have risen sharply since last year. However, the inflation rate of Somali pirates has accelerated over the past year. This is believed to be due to ideological tensions arising from the claims of supporters by rebels in the Red Sea. The International Maritime Bureau reports seven incidents of attacks on vessels off the coast of Somalia in 2024. So far this year, Somali pirates have seized several fishing boats.