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The hijackers also shared photos on social media of their
captives surrounded by armed men on the ship's deck.
The vessel was hijacked in late November and taken to Xaafuun
district in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland, where it is
being held along with the captives. The ship's security guards
later joined forces with the armed men from the coastal region.
A Somali government official said the vessel was issued with a
fishing license by Puntland in 2020, but the license had
expired.
The official spoke on Sunday on condition of anonymity because
he was not authorized to discuss the matter. He did not
elaborate on the ransom demand.
The European Union’s anti-piracy naval force, Eunavfor Atalanta,
last week classified the incident as “robbery at sea”.
The hijacking underscores the persistent challenges of maritime
security in Somalia’s waters. Somalia has for years been
blighted by piracy, which peaked in 2011, when the United
Nations says more than 160 attacks were recorded off the Somali
coast.
Incidents have declined drastically since then, however, largely
due to the presence of American and allied navies in
international waters.
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