A group of Somali pirates is suspected of hijacking the cargo ship BASILISK, which flies the Liberian flag. The ship was en route to the port of Jabal Al Ali in Dubai after departing from Rotterdam, Netherlands, and making a stop at Porto Grande in Cape Verde.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the hijacking occurred approximately 420 nautical miles southeast of Marka district in the Lower Shabelle region, east of Mogadishu. According to the UKMTO, two boats carrying unknown assailants boarded the vessel.
Reports indicate that the pirates have seized control of the ship’s operations room, cutting off all communications. Seventeen crew members are believed to be confined in the ship’s safe room.
This incident follows a similar event in March 2024, when Somali pirates secured a $5 million ransom for the MV Abdullah ship.
