An Euronews analysis of IMO data says at least 15 piracy attacks have been reported off Somalia since the start of the year. The attacks are concentrated in the Gulf of Aden. War around Hormuz is also disrupting regional shipping.
According to Euronews's report on an AFP analysis of International Maritime Organisation data, piracy off the Horn of Africa has reached its highest level since 2013. At least 15 attacks have been reported since the start of the year, compared with five in all of 2025. The analysis uses reports to the IMO shipping information system covering the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean within 2,000 km of Somalia.[1]
The report says the 2026 increase has concentrated particularly in the Gulf of Aden, which links the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. In the largest reported incident, about 30 pirates targeted the oil tanker Honour 25 off Puntland on 21 April; 17 crew members were taken hostage and the 90 m vessel remained in pirate hands. These details show that the increase is not limited to minor reports.[1]
Euronews says traffic on these busy sea routes has been heavily disrupted since the Iran-US-Israel war began. Al Jazeera's Hormuz report says Qatar discussed a temporary corridor and mine clearance, but that no final agreement exists. The developments describe separate security problems: piracy off Somalia and passage arrangements at Hormuz are not the same event. Together, however, they provide current reporting that ships in the region lack predictable passage conditions.[1], [2]
