Chemical tanker ship Asana is believed to have been hijacked by armed assailants in the Gulf of Aden on Friday.The assailants took control of the vessel, Reuters reported, citing maritime security sources, which prompted a warning from the British navy agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).The ship did not have a confirmed flag. According to the ship tracking data, the incident occurred as the tanker was transiting east off the southern coast of Yemen. Its next destination was shown to be the Somali port of Bosaso.The incident occurred around 65 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukalla port, UKMTO said, citing military authorities. The vessel was boarded by unauthorised personnel while transiting east in the Gulf of Aden, around 65 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukalla port, the British navy agency UKMTO said.According to a Reuters report, maritime security sources said the assailants were believed to be in control of the Asana.Initial assessments indicate that the incident was likely linked to Somali piracy rather than Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia, a maritime security source said.“Details regarding the number of assailants, the circumstances of the boarding, and the status of the vessel and crew remain unclear,” British maritime risk management group Vanguard said.A South Korean warship had been despatched to the area, an official with Greek maritime security company Diaplous said.The vessel issued a distress call at around 0620 GMT on Friday and did not have an armed security team when the incident occurred, British maritime security group Ambrey said, adding that the assailants were suspected to be part of a pirate action group.Shipping databases listed the vessel’s operator as Marshall Islands-based Exon Energy, which could not be reached for comment.The development comes amid heightened concerns over maritime security in the region. Iran has asked Yemen’s Houthis to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, sources told Reuters on Thursday, posing a potent new threat to global energy supplies.
