Suspected pirates seize tanker off Yemen coast in Gulf of Aden, sources say
XLE•Tanker boarded off Yemen coast
LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - Armed assailants are believed to have boarded the chemical tanker Asana off the southern coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden on Friday and are in control of the vessel, maritime security sources said.
Based on initial assessments, the incident appeared to be related to Somali piracy rather than Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia, one of the maritime security sources said.
The small tanker, which had no confirmed flag, had listed the Somali port of Bosaso as its next destination, ship tracking data showed.
Assistance efforts and security response
Efforts were under way to assist the Asana tanker and determine the circumstances of what happened, said an official with the European Union’s Aspides naval mission, which is active in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region.
A South Korean warship was in the area, the official told Reuters.
"Details regarding the number of assailants, the circumstances of the boarding, and the status of the vessel and crew remain unclear," British maritime risk management group Vanguard said.
The vessel issued a distress call at around 0620 GMT on Friday and did not have an armed security team when the incident occurred, British maritime security group Ambrey said, adding that the assailants were suspected to be part of a pirate action group.
