A Chinese-owned fishing vessel hijacked off Somalia’s northeastern Puntland coast in November has been released, along with its 18-member crew, the Chinese Embassy in Somalia announced.
The crew was rescued unharmed on 13 January following coordinated efforts by the Chinese government and Somali authorities, including Puntland’s regional administration. The pirates, who initially demanded a $10 million ransom, had taken the ship to Xaafuun district. Details of the vessel’s release remain unclear.
On December 6, Somali pirates had hijacked the Chinese fishing vessel off Puntland’s northeastern coast, taking control of the ship while armed with AK-47s and machine guns.
To remind, The IMB has issued its annual Piracy and Armed Robbery Report, recording 116 incidents against ships in 2024 compared to 120 in 2023 and 115 in 2022. The reported use of weapons also continues to rise. In 2024, guns were reported in 26 incidents compared to 15 in 2023. Knives were reported in 39 incidents in 2024, compared to 42 incidents in 2023.