St. Kitts and Nevis flagged vessel hijacked by pirates off Somalia

St. Kitts and Nevis: A cargo ship named “Sward” has been hijacked off the coast of Somalia in East Africa. The incident took place on Monday, April 27, 2026. The cargo ship was flying the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis and carrying a shipment of cement.

The ship was sailing from Suez, Egypt, to Mombasa, Kenya. It was attacked near the coastal town of Garacad in the Puntland region, in what police suspect is an act of piracy. 

British security firms, Vanguard and Ambrey, said that the maritime raiders appear to be steering the ship towards the Somali coastline and may lead to a long-term standoff. The authorities said that around nine (9) pirates are involved in this hijacking.

Vanguard said in a press statement, “The vessel is currently assessed to be under pirate control and proceeding towards the Somali Coastline. The Puntland Maritime Police Force has been notified.”

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued a warning. It stated, “The UK MTO has received a report of an incident 6Nm (nautical miles) northeast of Garacad in Somalia. It has been reported that unauthorized persons have taken control of a cargo vessel, which has been redirected to within territorial waters.”

The St. Kitts and Nevis general cargo ship had 15 crew members onboard, which included two Indian nationals and 13 Syrians.

Advising other ships sailing in that route, Maritime Security Organisation Indian Ocean stated, “Vessels operating in the area are strongly advised to maintain a heightened level of vigilance, particularly within 150 nautical miles of the Somali coast between Mogadishu and Hafun.”

Piracy was a major problem in the waters of the Horn of Africa between 2008 and 2018. Despite having declined in the past decade due to international naval patrols and improved maritime security, it is still causing issues for vessels passing through that route.

The increasing tensions in the Middle East due to the Iran blockade on Strait of Hormuz is also impacting maritime traffic. Iran considers the management of this oil checkpoint a part of their strategy in war against the United States, said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.