The vessels crew members have been reported safe by shipping firms and maritime authorities

A tanker travelling from India to South Africa near the Somali coast was boarded by "unauthorised personnel," maritime authorities reported on Thursday. The vessel was also attacked with rocket-propelled grenades during the seizure.

In a statement, Latsco Marine Management Inc. confirmed a security incident on board its Malta-flagged vessel, Hellas Aphrodite.

"The incident occurred at approximately 11:48 hours local time (UTC+4) on 6 November 2025, while the vessel, carrying a cargo of gasoline, was transiting from Sikka, India, to Durban, South Africa," approximately 550 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, the Greek company said.

"The small craft fired small arms and RPG's towards the vessel," the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) stated.

The tanker's crew locked themselves in a safe room. According to the managing company, all 24 crew are safe and accounted for, and the firm remains in close contact with them.

The organization "has activated its emergency response team and is coordinating with the relevant authorities to ensure the continued safety and welfare of the crew."

The attack follows an incident just a few days prior in which the Cayman Islands-flagged Stolt Sagaland was targeted in a suspected pirate assault. A tanker approximately 330 nautical miles southeast of Somalia's Mogadishu reported being approached by a small boat and fired upon, according to Somali Guardian, citing the EU naval mission in the region, Operation Atalanta. The crew of that tanker were uninjured and the vessel was able to evade the attack.

"The Master reports that 4 unauthorised persons attempted to board his vessel," UKMTO reported.

From 2008 to 2018, Somali pirates disrupted critical world waterways, causing widespread chaos. After a period of relative quiet, pirate activity has begun to rise again.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia hit its peak in 2011, with 237 attacks recorded, a local news agency stated. The Oceans Beyond Piracy monitoring group estimated the global economic cost of Somali piracy that year at around US $7 billion, including approximately $160 million in ransoms.

"Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO," the agency stressed.

(RT.com)