MOGADISHU, Somalia – All 24 crew members of the Malta-flagged oil tanker Hellas Aphrodite have been freed after European Union naval forces under Operation Atalanta intervened to end a pirate hijacking in the Indian Ocean, officials said.
The vessel, which was transporting gasoline from India to South Africa, was attacked about 500 nautical miles off the coast of Mogadishu by armed pirates who fired on the ship before boarding. The crew, including five Greek nationals, locked themselves inside a secure room known as a citadel, while distress signals were sent to EU forces patrolling the area.
Responding to the call, the Spanish frigate ESPS Victoria deployed a helicopter and drone to the scene. The pirates fled before EU special forces boarded the ship and took control, according to the EU Naval Force Somalia (EUNAVFOR). The operation ended without any casualties, and the tanker has since resumed its voyage under naval escort.
“This is a major success in the fight against piracy,” said Francesca Di Mauro, the European Union ambassador to Somalia. “It shows Europe’s concrete action to protect maritime security — and, with it, global trade and prosperity.”
The hijacking marks the most significant incident off the Somali coast in recent months and comes amid renewed concerns over the return of piracy in the region. Although large-scale hijackings had largely disappeared after international naval patrols curbed the threat a decade ago, several attacks on fishing and commercial vessels have been reported since late last year.
Piracy off the Horn of Africa reached its peak in 2011, when hundreds of ships were targeted and ransom payments amounted to millions of dollars. The launch of multinational missions such as Operation Atalanta in 2008 sharply reduced the number of attacks. But security analysts warn that the combination of economic hardship, weak coastal governance, and regional instability is creating new opportunities for criminal groups to return to the seas.
The Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden remain critical maritime corridors for global trade, linking Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Disruptions in these waters can have major consequences for the international shipping industry.
Operation Atalanta, based in Rota, Spain, is the European Union’s first-ever naval mission. It continues to protect World Food Programme vessels delivering aid to Somalia and to monitor illicit activities in the region, including arms trafficking and illegal fishing.
Following the rescue, Ambassador Di Mauro praised the coordinated effort between European forces and Somali authorities, describing it as “a reminder that international cooperation remains the best defense against the resurgence of piracy.”
The EU mission said it is continuing to monitor nearby waters to intercept any remaining pirate vessels linked to the attack.
