Qatar has condemned the hijacking of an oil tanker carrying Egyptian sailors near the Yemeni coast.
In a statement issued by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was noted that the tanker was taken to Somali territorial waters near the Puntland region. Doha described the incident as a gross violation of international law and a serious threat to maritime security and international trade.
The ministry stressed Qatar’s solidarity with Egypt and the families of the sailors, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the crew’s safety and securing their immediate release.
The statement also called for coordinated international efforts to protect freedom of navigation and ensure the safety of maritime routes in international waters.
Egyptian authorities confirmed on Monday that the tanker, carrying eight Egyptian sailors, had been hijacked off the Yemeni coast and taken to Somalia.
Earlier, Yemeni authorities reported that on May 2 pirates had seized another vessel off the coast of Shabwa governorate with 12 Egyptian and one Indian sailor on board.
The wife of one of the Egyptian sailors aboard the hijacked ship stated that the pirates were demanding money in exchange for the crew’s release.
Although piracy off the Somali coast, which was widespread between 2008 and 2018, declined in later years, it has begun resurging since late 2023 amid growing regional instability.
