Eight armed men seize cargo ship off Somalia, UKMTO says

Eight armed men boarded and seized a cargo vessel off the coast of Somalia on Monday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

UKMTO did not disclose the vessel’s name, flag state or cargo. No information was immediately available about the number or condition of crew members aboard the ship or its current destination.

The maritime security agency also did not identify the armed men or formally classify the incident as an act of piracy.

The seizure comes amid renewed concerns over maritime security in waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, where several vessels have been targeted in recent months.

In April, separate incidents involved the hijacking of a fuel tanker and a vessel carrying cement. In July, the tanker Asana was also seized in the Gulf of Aden and subsequently taken into Somali waters.

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