MOGADISHU – Growing fears surround the safety of crew aboard the oil tanker MT Eureka, which was seized off the Somali coast on May 2, 2026, with relatives reporting that the captors have issued direct death threats and warned they will kill the hostages unless a ransom is paid within an extremely tight deadline.
Twelve seafarers – eight Egyptians and four Indians – stand in danger as the armed group ramps up pressure to secure payment. The wife of one captive explained that an earlier ransom agreement collapsed because of technical hurdles in transferring funds, provoking the captors’ anger. She also said the group threatened to relocate parts of the crew to a remote mountain area to psychologically pressure the ship’s owners.
Pirates have increased their ransom demand to $10 million since the vessel was seized, severely restricted food and water supplies, and increased the number of armed guards on board. The MT Eureka, a Togo-flagged product tanker carrying approximately 2,800 tonnes of diesel, was boarded by armed attackers off the coast of Yemen’s Shabwa province and forced toward Somali waters. The vessel had departed from the Emirati port of Fujairah en route to a Yemeni port before the hijacking. It carried a multinational crew, including Yemeni sailors and eight Egyptian nationals.
Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is closely monitoring the situation, working with the Egyptian Embassy in Mogadishu and Somali federal authorities to secure the crew’s safe return. Somalia’s Ambassador to Egypt, Ali Abdi Aware, has stated that the Federal Government is intensifying diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the eight Egyptian sailors. “The Somali government is deeply concerned about this situation and is maintaining strong contacts with all relevant parties to resolve the issue and secure the sailors’ release,” Ambassador Aware stated.
Sources say tensions escalated after the vessel’s owner requested more time to gather the money – a request the hijackers flatly rejected, threatening drastic action against the hostages.
Psychological Tactics, Not Imminent Execution
Security specialists note that extreme threats are commonly used as psychological leverage to expedite ransom payments, and that these hijackers differ from the structured, professional pirate networks that once dominated the region. Captain Sayed Al-Shadhali, head of the Egyptian Federation of Marine Officers, said the captors’ messages aim solely to pressure parties involved in the financial settlement. He noted that the present signs do not indicate an imminent execution plan, but rather an aggressive push to conclude negotiations.
Experts warn that the latest surge in piracy along this critical shipping lane is closely linked to regional insecurity, heightening global concerns over maritime safety. Naval analysts attribute the resurgence to a shift in international naval resources toward the Red Sea, creating a security vacuum that pirate groups are exploiting.
A Resurgence of Piracy
The MT Eureka hijacking is the latest in a resurgence of piracy off the Somali coast. The Maritime Security Centre for the Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) issued Alert 48/26 on 8 May warning of a new pirate hijacking threat, as the vessel became the fourth target in a string of attacks since mid-April. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has raised the piracy threat level to “substantial”.
The MSCHOA warning places the threat in the vicinity of 09°50’N 050°54’E, an area within the high-risk zone of the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, Puntland maritime police have increased patrols, but international naval assets remain stretched. The United States has authorised drone strikes and military force against pirate groups, while the European Union has expanded surveillance through Operation Atalanta.
Families of the MT Eureka crew continue to appeal for urgent intervention.
Recommended Reading On ftlsomalia.com:
