🔗 Share this article European Union Maritime Forces Rescue Crew Following Somali Piracy Incident on Oil Tanker The Maltese-flagged tanker was seized by pirates on Thursday European Union naval forces have successfully rescued two dozen crew members from a Malta-registered oil tanker that was attacked by pirates off the shoreline of Somali waters. The vessel, which was carrying petrol from India to South Africa, was seized on the recent incident when armed pirates opened fire with machine guns and explosive projectiles before boarding the ship. All sailors secured themselves inside a secure safe room while the pirates took control of the marine transport. Successful Rescue Operation A naval vessel, functioning under the EU's anti-piracy mission, reached the tanker on the following day. Special forces boarded the craft and discovered all 24 crew members unharmed. "All personnel is safe and no injuries have been reported. Throughout the incident, they remained in the secure area in constant communication with the operation," officials stated, noting that a "demonstration of power" had prompted the attackers to abandon the vessel before the warship arrived. Continuing Danger Authorities added that the danger level in the region "remains critical" as the pirates are continue to be in the area. The mission utilized a helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle and reconnaissance plane. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the identical region was targeted by a fast boat but managed to evade it. Resurgence of Piracy This event represents the latest in a spate of attacks that have raised alarms about a renewal of piracy in the region. Such activity had declined when international naval patrols and protective protocols were introduced after peaking more than a ten years past. Nevertheless, assaults by Yemen's Houthi rebels on vessels in the Red Sea, which have been carried out for the recent period, have led vessels to be diverted through the African coastline - opening up new possibilities for Somali gangs. Incident Data Seven reported incidents of piracy occurred off the shoreline of the Somali region last year Three hijackings were documented among these events A single case of piracy was reported in the preceding year Industry professionals are closely watching the situation as vessel operators travel through these increasingly dangerous shipping lanes.