Somali pirates hijacked an Iranian fishing vessel.
One of the maritime security officers in the Puntland region said on Sunday, November 1, that the Iranian ship named "Azini" was hijacked on Thursday, October 29 in the area between the coastal cities of Bandar Bela and Hapon, in northeastern Somalia.
That officer told the Associated Press that 12 pirates had seized that ship. This vessel was carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards.
The Maritime Security Center, in the information it published on Saturday, October 31, announced that there is still no information on the security and health status of the crew. In its updated warning, the center added that pirates may use the ship as a "flagship" to support attacks against merchant ships.
The EU's maritime operation Atalanta is investigating the incident. The Maritime Security Center asks the ships in the area to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.