pirates are at the beginning of this week in Somalia hijacked a cargo ship sailing under the flag of Cameroon. Among the crew of ten members were two citizens of Serbia.
Attack on a hijacked ship
On the ship "M/V LUTUF", owned by the company "Polar Movement Shipping", there were Turkish weapons, communication and satellite equipment.
The 10-member crew consisted of six Indian citizens, one Georgian citizen, one Turkish citizen and two Serbian security personnel.
Two Turkish-owned ships later approached the hijacked vessel, while Turkish helicopters and drones monitored the area, a Somali official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
On Tuesday, a small boat carrying two men approached the ship and delivered the stimulant kat plant, which is commonly chewed in Somalia, the official added. After the boat returned to the shore, an air attack followed in which four men were killed and two were wounded, he said.
Photo: Pexels / Francesco UngaroPiracy attacks around Somalia are not uncommon
The number of attacks by Somali pirates is increasing
The pirates, who are believed to have carried out the attack, are also suspected of having previously participated in the hijacking of the ship "M/V Sord" at the end of April.
The number of incidents off the coast of Somalia has reached its highest level in the last ten years. The Danish Shipping Association has published an analysis based on data from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which shows a significant increase in the number of attacks by Somali pirates.
In the first seven months of 2026, the IMB recorded 13 incidents around the coasts of this country. For the sake of comparison, during the entire year of 2024, eight were recorded, and in 2025, five.
According to estimates, piracy damages global trade by nearly US$7 billion annually.
Turkish authorities have so far not commented on the incident, and The Associated Press has been unable to confirm all the allegations made by the Somali official.
Only in August: Save three thousand dinars on the annual subscription to the digital edition of "Vremena"! _Take advantage of the discount here and support independent journalism.
