IMO urges global action as 44 Seafarers held captive in Somali waters face humanitarian crisis

Armed Somali pirates in a vessel in the Indian Ocean. (Photo: File/ AFP)

By Mary Wambui
Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Listen

Read this story aloud

Listen to the clean text version of this article.

Ready

3 min listen

Audio reading is not supported on this browser.

Over the past three months alone, IMO has recorded 24 attempted and actual incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the region, involving increasingly dangerous weapons and escalating violence against innocent seafarers.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has called for urgent international efforts to secure the safe release of 44 seafarers held captive in Somali waters by pirates and armed robbers.

According to IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, the seafarers have endured months in captivity after three ships they were traveling in were hijacked in separate incidents between April and May off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.

The vessels, MT Honour 25, Eureka and Sward, have been detained by the hijackers, a situation that has subjected them to a dire humanitarian situation as they are running critically low on food and water while living under the constant threat of violence.

Latest Stories

Globally, reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea increased by 17 per cent between 2024 and 2025, rising from 146 incidents to 171.

Secretary-General Dominguez said IMO continues to monitor the situation closely and support regional anti-piracy efforts through the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment, which brings together 22 coastal and island States across the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden to strengthen maritime security cooperation, and capacity-building initiatives such as the Red Sea Project.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to working alongside flag States, coastal States, regional bodies and industry to secure the seafarers’ release and end their ordeal and urged shipowners and operators to take all necessary precautions to protect crews, including implementing the Best Management Practices for Maritime Security and conducting thorough risk assessments before transiting the region.