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European naval forces have scored one of their biggest wins this year against Somali pirates after seizing an Iranian-flagged dhow used as a mother ship in the hijacking of the tanker Hellas Aphrodite. All 24 crew members of the tanker were rescued unharmed in a 30-hour standoff roughly 700 nautical miles off Mogadishu. The successful operation was led by Operation ATALANTA, the European Union’s naval mission that combats piracy in the Western Indian Ocean.
The incident began when pirates hijacked the Hellas Aphrodite, using the dhow as their base. As the Spanish warship ESPS Victoria and an Indian Navy vessel closed in, the pirates fled, abandoning both ships. The dhow was later found along Somalia’s northwestern coast. A boarding team secured it, verified the crew’s identities, and confirmed they were safe and healthy. Evidence collected from the dhow and the tanker is expected to help track down and prosecute the pirates. Somali authorities and Puntland officials are now working with international partners to locate the suspects.
The rescue was a major joint effort involving several countries. The ESPS Victoria deployed a helicopter, drones, and a Special Operations team, while Spain’s VIGMA D4 maritime aircraft provided aerial surveillance. Additional support came from the Indian Navy, a Japanese P-3C aircraft under the Combined Maritime Forces, the Seychellois Air Force, and Somali maritime agencies.
According to maritime security firm EOS Risk Group, this same pirate group had earlier tried to hijack two other vessels — the Stolt Aphrodite on November 3 and the Intertuna Tres on November 2. ATALANTA later confirmed that an Iranian dhow hijacked on October 28, believed to be the Issamohamadi, had been used as the pirates’ mother ship and was operating without broadcasting its tracking signals.
Officials say the incident is part of a worrying comeback of Somali piracy, which had been largely contained for several years. Since late 2023, there has been a sharp rise in attacks, many involving hijacked dhows. In 2024 alone, ATALANTA recorded dozens of piracy incidents, including the MV Ruen—freed by the Indian Navy after three months—and the MV Abdullah, which was reportedly released after a ransom payment.
With piracy once again threatening one of the world’s busiest sea lanes, ATALANTA has urged all merchant and fishing vessels operating in the region to register with the Maritime Security Centre’s Voluntary Registration Scheme to help ensure faster responses to emergencies.
Experts say this resurgence is being fueled by regional instability. The ongoing war in Yemen, Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, and political tensions in the Horn of Africa have created opportunities for pirate networks to regroup and operate. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office recorded at least three piracy-related incidents off Somalia this month alone.
Somalia’s parliament recently passed new anti-piracy laws aimed at tightening the country’s legal framework against maritime crime. However, the nation still depends heavily on foreign naval forces to patrol its waters and protect major shipping routes and ports. The Somali government, which last year received $4.5 billion in debt relief, continues to battle al-Shabaab and other militant groups as it works to restore stability after decades of conflict.