European Naval Force Detains 6 Suspected Pirates in Gulf of Aden

On Friday, a European naval force detained six suspected pirates who opened fire on the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Chrystal Arctic in the Gulf of Aden. The incident, which occurred approximately 100 nautical miles north of Bosaso, Somalia, is likely linked to the growing number of piracy attacks emanating from the region.

Why this matters: The resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden has significant implications for global trade and maritime security, as it threatens to disrupt the flow of goods and increase costs for shipping companies. If left unchecked, it could also embolden pirate groups to launch more brazen attacks, potentially leading to loss of life and further destabilization of the region.

The Chrystal Arctic, a 75,000-dwt product tanker built in 2010, was heading west toward Egypt on a trip from India when it was approached by a small boat carrying five or six armed men. The suspected pirates fired on the tanker, prompting the vessel's onboard security team to return fire. The exchange caused the pirates to abort their attack, and the tanker was able to continue on its way with all crew members safe.

Hours after the attempted hijacking, the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation Atalanta detained the six suspected pirates, some of whom required medical treatment for injuries of varied severity. The pirates were carrying Kalashnikov-style rifles and rocket-propelled grenades at the time of their capture.

EUNAVFOR confirmed the incident in a social media post and is currently conducting an investigation, gathering evidence to further assess the situation. The naval force estimates that at least two or more pirate action groups (PAGs) could be operating off the Somali coast, following a string of recent dhow hijackings.

The attack on the Chrystal Arctic is part of a growing trend of piracy incidents in the region, which have slowed commercial traffic through the crucial maritime route onward to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. Piracy off the Somali coast had diminished after a peak in 2011, but concerns about new attacks have grown in recentmonths.

In 2011, there were 237 reported attacks in waters off Somalia, costing the world's economy some $7 billion, with $160 million paid out in ransoms. Increased naval patrols, a strengthening central government in Mogadishu, and other efforts had previously beaten back piracy in the region. However, the International Maritime Bureau warned in April that Somali pirates are demonstrating mounting capabilities, targeting vessels at great distances from the Somali coast.

Since December, two merchant vessels have been hijacked: the MV Ruen, seized in mid-December and rescued by the Indian Navy after a three-month hostage situation, and the MV Abdullah, hijacked in March and released a month later, purportedly after a ransom was paid. These incidents, along with the attack on the Chrystal Arctic, underscore the persistent threat of piracy in the region and the importance of international efforts to combat it.