Seafarers' Syndicate: Somali pirates hijack ships with 16 Syrian sailors on board

The Syrian Seafarers' Syndicate on the High Seas announced that the merchant ship "Sward" was subjected to a piracy and hijacking off the coast of Somalia, with 16 Syrian sailors on board, and that negotiations are underway to release the ship and crew.

The union said in a statement published on its social media site today that the St. Kitts and Nevis  flagged vessel was carrying a crew of 16 Syrian sailors that was pirated yesterday in an area 6 nautical miles northeast of Garacad in Somalia.

In its statement, the Syndicate reassured the families of the sailors that they are all fine, and said that it had opened direct communication channels with the ship's owners since the first hours of the incident, and that all Syrian crew members were fine, and that no injuries or cases of ill-treatment were recorded among them.

The union pointed out that the seafarers are in a stable position and carry out their daily routine work on board the ship.

The Seafarers' Syndicate pointed out that serious and continuous negotiations have begun aimed at securing the release of the ship and its crew as soon as possible, in parallel with communication with the competent international authorities to follow up on the developments of the situation and ensure the safety of Syrian seafarers.

The Syndicate concluded its statement by affirming its full commitment to follow up on the file moment by moment, and its pledge to inform the people and the public opinion of any developments as soon as they are received, appreciating the state of anxiety experienced by the seafarers' families.

The coastal region of Somalia is classified as a "high risk"  area for maritime piracy, and although these operations have declined in recent years thanks to international patrols, recent months have witnessed a resurgence of piracy activities targeting commercial vessels in transit, putting the safety of seafarers and shipping lanes under the microscope of international surveillance once again.

International Maritime Warns of Growing Risk of Piracy

International maritime authorities have warned of a growing risk of piracy after a second cargo ship was hijacked off the coast of Somalia in a week, threatening to exacerbate disruptions in global maritime trade.

The UK's  Maritime Trade Operations Authority (UKMTO)  reported that pirates seized a cargo ship 6 nautical miles off the coast of Jarad in Somalia and diverted it into territorial waters.

The incident comes a few days after another oil tanker was hijacked last Tuesday, where gunmen boarded the northeast of the Mario  area and headed towards the coast.

Upgrade the threat to a "significant" level

The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) has raised the  level of piracy threat in the area around the Somali coast and the Somali basin to a "significant" level, calling on all vessels in transit to exercise maximum vigilance.

In a statement, the center revealed the details of the hijacking of the oil products tanker "Honor 25", which was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil and a crew of 17 people, as it was forced at gunpoint to head towards the Somali coast, and information about the safety of the crew is still uncertain.

 Security analysts point out that piracy groups have revived tactics used in the 2000s, most notably the use of  "mother vessels" (hijacked fishing vessels).

The tactic gives the pirates the ability to launch long-range attacks up to  300 to 800 nautical miles from the shore, using automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades  (RPGs), reflecting a high level of coordination and combat capability, analysts said.