Somali pirates demand $10 mln for release of tanker — portal

NAIROBI, July 2. /TASS/. Somali pirates holding the tanker Eureka are demanding $10 million for its release, the Shabelle Media Network reported.

According to the news outlet, the vessel, which sails under the Togolese flag, was seized on May 2 in the Gulf of Aden while transporting diesel fuel from the UAE.

It was reported earlier that the pirates had threatened to kill the tanker’s crew, made up of Egyptian and Indian nationals, after negotiations over their release broke down.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia severely disrupted maritime shipping from the late 2000s through the late 2010s, when armed groups frequently attacked commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. International naval patrols significantly reduced the number of attacks in the early 2020s, but pirate activity has increased again in recent years. According to British maritime security company Ambrey, pirates are currently holding at least two tankers and one bulk carrier.