🔗 Share this article European Union Naval Forces Free Sailors Following Somali Piracy Incident on Oil Tanker The Hellas Aphrodite was captured by armed attackers on recently EU maritime units have successfully rescued two dozen crew members from a Malta-registered petroleum vessel that was attacked by sea robbers off the shoreline of Somalia. The Hellas Aphrodite, which was transporting petrol from Indian ports to South Africa, was seized on the recent incident when heavily armed attackers began shooting with automatic weapons and explosive projectiles before taking control of the ship. The crew locked themselves inside a fortified citadel while the pirates assumed command of the ship. Mission Accomplished A Spanish warship, functioning under the European Union's maritime security operation, reached the tanker on Friday afternoon. Special forces boarded the vessel and discovered all two dozen sailors unharmed. "All personnel is secure and no harm have been documented. During the incident, they stayed in the secure area in direct contact with command center," officials stated, noting that a "demonstration of power" had convinced the pirates to abandon the vessel before the naval unit reached the location. Continuing Danger Officials added that the threat risk in the region "remains critical" as the armed groups are still in the area. The rescue operation involved a helicopter, drone and surveillance aircraft. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the identical region was approached by a small speedboat but successfully avoided it. Resurgence of Piracy This event marks the latest in a series of attacks that have raised alarms about a resurgence of maritime crime in the area. Such activity had decreased when international naval patrols and security measures were introduced after reaching their highest point more than a decade ago. Nevertheless, assaults by militant groups on vessels in the Red Sea, which have been carried out for the past two years, have caused vessels to be rerouted through the African coastline - creating new possibilities for local pirate groups. Incident Data Multiple piracy cases of piracy took place off the coast of Somalia last year Three hijackings were recorded among these events A single case of piracy was noted in 2023 Industry professionals continue to monitor the situation as shipping companies travel through these increasingly dangerous waters.