Pirates have attacked an Indian cargo vessel in Somali waters in what appears to be the second piracy incident in less than a month.
The unnamed ship was hijacked off the coast of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, BBC and Reuters report.
A Somalia-based official told Reuters: “We understand Somali pirates hijacked a commercial Indian ship and it is heading towards Somalia shores.”
According to the Daynile website, the attack took place some 50km south of the port of Hobyo.
The latest incident comes hot on the heels of the hijacking of the 1,800-dwt Aris 13 (built 1991).
The ship was seized by pirates who later released it apparently without conditions.
This was thought to be the first successful attack against a commercial vessel by Somali pirates since 2012.
On 24 March there were some reports that a fishing trawler owned by a local businessman was also taken over by assailants.
Somali coastal fishermen are believed to be turning to piracy as poverty is widespread in the country.
Piracy in the region had abated for the past five years after it reached its peak in 2011 with 237 attacks.
