Puntland Forces Rescue Vessel Hijacked by Somali Pirates
Security forces from Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland state have rescued the MT Honour 25, a Palau-flagged petroleum products tanker seized by pirates in April, Puntland's state television channel reported on Tuesday.The broadcaster said pirates who had been holding the vessel had been detained and would be brought to court.Puntland officials did not respond to requests for comment.The MT Honour 25 was seized on April 21 around 30 nautical miles off Puntland's coast with 17 crew members on board, including 10 Pakistanis.The rescue follows a similar Puntland counter-piracy operation last week
Hijack Call From Tanker Off Iran Identified As a False Alarm
A hijack signal sent from a Panama-flagged petroleum products tanker off Iran was a false alarm, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday.Ambrey first reported the incident south of the busy Strait of Hormuz shipping lane on Tuesday without naming the "UAE-linked" vessel. It said it took place some 51 nautical miles northwest of the Iranian port of Bandar-e Jask.It dubbed the incident a "false hijack distress call" on Wednesday, adding that it "understands that…
Oman Confirms Asphalt Princess Hijack in Arabian Sea
Oman provided first official confirmation on Wednesday that the Asphalt Princess tanker was involved in a hijacking in the Arabian Sea after Britain's maritime trade agency earlier reported the incident was over.Three maritime security forces had told Reuters on Tuesday that the Asphalt Princess tanker had been seized by suspected Iranian-backed forces, which Iran denied.Oman's Maritime Security Centre said on Twitter that it had received information about the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess being subjected "to a hijacking incident in international waters in the Gulf of Oman" and that the sultanate's navy had deployed several ships to help secure international waters. (Reuters reporting by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Alison Williams)
