MOGADISHU: Somali pirates holding the oil tanker MT Eureka have increased their ransom demand to $10 million, according to family members of the captive crew, as fears mount for the safety of the multinational sailors seized near Yemen’s coast earlier this month. The hijacking has drawn international condemnation and revived concerns about a resurgence of piracy off the Horn of Africa.
The MT Eureka, a Togo-flagged product tanker carrying approximately 2,800 tonnes of diesel, was boarded by armed attackers on May 2 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. Amiira Mohamed, the wife of Egyptian engineer Mohamed Radi, one of eight Egyptian nationals aboard the vessel, said her husband was briefly allowed to contact her by phone. “He told me the situation is very difficult and pleaded for anyone who can help to intervene for their release,” she said.
Family members reported that pirates have increased the number of armed guards on the ship while severely restricting food and water supplies. According to relatives, the ship’s owners initially assured them they were working to resolve the crisis, which led families to avoid speaking publicly during the early stages of the hijacking. However, anxiety among the families has intensified in recent days amid no clear indications of an imminent release. The case has attracted significant attention in Egypt, where relatives of the sailors have appealed to President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi and Egyptian authorities to secure the release of their family members.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry stated that all Egyptian nationals aboard the ship were “safe” and that the Egyptian embassy in Mogadishu was maintaining continuous contact with Somali authorities and other concerned parties. Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs, Ambassador Haddaad Al‑Jawhari, said Egyptian officials had been closely monitoring the situation since the vessel was attacked. The ship was carrying a multinational crew, including Yemeni sailors and eight Egyptians, officials said.
The MT Eureka hijacking is part of a renewed wave of piracy off Somalia’s coast. The Maritime Security Centre for the Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) issued Alert 48/26 on May 8, 2026, warning that a Pirate Action Group was preparing to hijack a merchant vessel. Days earlier, the oil tanker Honour 25 and the cement carrier MV Sward were seized, with crews of multiple nationalities still held hostage in the Xaafun and Garacad areas of Puntland.
Puntland maritime police have increased patrols, but international naval assets remain stretched. The United States has authorized drone strikes and military force against pirate groups, while the European Union has expanded surveillance through Operation Atalanta. Meanwhile, families of the MT Eureka crew continue to appeal for urgent intervention.
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