Gunmen attacked a tanker off the coast of Mogadishu today, firing on the ship after trying to board it, in the first alleged piracy incident off the coast of Somalia since 2024, maritime sources said.

If confirmed, this would be the first piracy attack launched by Somalia against a merchant ship since May 2024, increasing risks to vital energy and goods transported through the region, sources said.

The ship was sailing about 332 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia when four armed assailants approached in a boat from the starboard side and opened fire, a note from British maritime risk management firm Vanguard said.

“The crew raised the alarm, increased the merchant ship’s speed and performed evasive maneuvers. The armed security team on board responded effectively, preventing the attack and therefore any damage or injury.”

Vanguard and a maritime security source pointed out that the vessel targeted was the Cayman Islands-flagged chemical tanker Stolt Sagaland.

The company Stolt-Nielsen, which manages the ship, confirmed that there was an attempted attack on the Stolt Sagaland early today, November 3, which failed.

“All our crew are safe, having previously responded quickly and professionally to the incident,” the company announced.

The European Union’s naval mission said it was investigating the incident. The naval force had announced on October 28 that it had received an alert about the possible presence of a group of pirates around the coast of Somalia.

“Vessels needing to pass through the area are advised to exercise extreme caution and maintain full vigilance,” the EU force said.

Shipping through the Red Sea, which leads to the Gulf of Aden, has plummeted since Yemen’s Houthis first launched attacks on merchant ships in November 2023, in actions pro-Iranian rebels say are in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.

While the Houthis have agreed to a truce on targeting US-bound ships, many shipping companies remain wary of resuming services through this sea route.