According to local and maritime sources, the armed group boarded the Malta-flagged tanker while it was sailing approximately 1,000 kilometers off the Somali coast — an area previously considered safe and far beyond the typical range of Somali pirate operations.

The European Union Naval Force (Operation ATALANTA), which oversees anti-piracy operations in the region, confirmed that the hijackers disembarked voluntarily and that all 24 crew members are safe and unharmed.

Reports indicate that one of the attackers sustained injuries during an exchange of gunfire after the pirates attempted to force open the ship’s reinforced doors.

The Hellas Aphrodite, which had been transporting fuel from India to South Africa, was intercepted in international waters in what experts describe as the most distant attempted hijacking by Somali pirates in recent years.

Operation ATALANTA issued a warning that the same armed group may still pose a threat to regional maritime security, as they are believed to be using high-speed boats capable of reaching beyond Somali territorial waters.

Maritime analysts note that this incident underscores a renewed risk of piracy emerging from Somalia’s coastal regions, despite years of decline in such attacks. Economic hardship, lawlessness, and political instability in parts of the country continue to fuel such operations, often carried out by opportunistic groups seeking ransom or stolen cargo.

As of Friday evening, the Hellas Aphrodite was reported to be under full control of its crew and resuming navigation under naval escort toward a designated safe port.

By Dahir Alasow – Investigative Journalist