Pirates hijacked a cargo ship carrying Turkish weapons off the coast of Somalia this week, the first of two vessels seized by pirates within four days, according to a Somali official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
The Cameroon-flagged ship LUTUF was seized by pirates Monday, carrying Turkish weapons bound for a military training facility in Mogadishu, the official said.
The ship was boarded about three and a half nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district. It also held communications and satellite equipment and was owned by Polar Movement Shipping, sailing from Turkey to the Somali capital.
Ten crew members were on board, including six Indian nationals, one Turkish citizen, one Georgian and two Serbian security guards. Turkish and Indian officials had not commented publicly by Thursday.
Pirates steer Turkish weapons ship toward Puntland coast
Eight pirates carried out the seizure and are believed to belong to the group that hijacked the Sward on April 26, the official said. They steered the LUTUF toward the coast near Garmaal in Puntland’s Dangoroyo district, where two Turkish-owned vessels and Turkish aircraft later monitored the area.
Türkiye Pressures Somali Pirates to Release Hijacked Vessel!
Türkiye has reportedly given Somali pirates holding the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel Lutuf a deadline to release the ship, according to informed sources.
The vessel was hijacked by eight armed men off the Somali… pic.twitter.com/VzYxKAeU9Q
— Somali Eye (@Somalieye122) August 18, 2026
On Tuesday, a small boat delivered khat, a stimulant commonly chewed in Somalia, to the ship. After the boat returned to shore, an airstrike hit the area, killing four people and wounding two others. It remains unclear who carried out the strike or whether those killed were connected to the hijacking.
Four days after the LUTUF was taken, pirates boarded a second vessel, the oil tanker SIBU 1, off the coast of Yemen. They redirected it toward Somali waters, said Col. Mohamed Jama of the Puntland Maritime Police.
The tanker flies an Eritrean flag but is believed to belong to Iran’s shadow fleet, according to TankerTrackers.com, which tracks global oil shipments. It has regularly delivered fuel to a Houthi-controlled terminal in Yemen.
Piracy incidents reach highest level in 15 years
Somali officials say pirates are currently holding six ships and more than 100 crew members hostage. The Center for Maritime Security recorded at least 17 piracy incidents across Somali waters and the Gulf of Aden this year.
Ian Ralby, president of the maritime group Auxilium Worldwide, called it the largest wave of successful piracy in nearly fifteen years. He said it has drawn little attention amid broader regional problems.
Analysts point to regional conflicts, falling fishing income, and reduced maritime patrols as reasons for the increase.
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