Assailants board chemical tanker off Yemen, suspected pirate hijacking

Key facts

• Armed assailants are believed to have boarded the chemical tanker Asana off the southern coast of Yemen.
• The incident occurred in the Gulf of Aden on Friday.
• Maritime security sources suspect the boarding is related to Somali piracy.
• The vessel issued a distress call and was not equipped with an armed security team.
• The status of the vessel and its crew remains unclear.

Armed assailants are believed to have boarded the chemical tanker Asana off the southern coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, with maritime security sources indicating it was likely a pirate hijacking. The vessel, which had listed Bosaso, Somalia, as its next destination, issued a distress call around 0620 GMT and was not carrying an armed security team. The incident occurred 65 nautical miles south of Al Mukalla port, Yemen. Details regarding the number of assailants and the status of the vessel and crew remain unclear, according to British maritime risk management group Vanguard. A South Korean warship has been dispatched to the area. The vessel's operator, Exon Energy, could not be reached for comment.