6 Indians Aboard Hijacked Cargo Ship Carrying Weapons for Turkish Facility
The Cameroon-flagged cargo ship LUTUF, carrying weapons and equipment for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu, was hijacked by pirates off Somalia's Puntland coast on Monday, a Somali official said. Six of the ten crew members are Indian nationals.
The vessel was seized approximately 3.5 nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland's Eyl district, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the sensitive matter. Pirates—believed to be eight in number, and linked to a group that earlier hijacked the merchant vessel Sward on April 26—guided the LUTUF toward the coast near Garmaal in Puntland's Dangoroyo district.
The ship was transporting weapons destined for the Turkish military facility, along with communications and satellite equipment. It is owned by Polar Movement Shipping, the official said. Apart from the six Indian sailors, the crew comprised one Turkish national, one Georgian, and two Serbian security guards.
On Tuesday, according to the official, a small boat approached the hijacked vessel and delivered khat, a stimulant commonly chewed in Somalia. After the boat returned to shore, an airstrike killed four men and wounded two others. The circumstances of the strike—including who carried it out and whether those killed were involved in the hijacking—could not be independently verified.
The current status of the LUTUF, its crew, and its cargo remains unclear. Neither Indian nor Turkish authorities have issued a statement on the incident so far.
Piracy off the Somali coast has been a recurring security challenge for two decades, with attacks declining after international naval patrols and armed guards on ships became common. However, occasional hijackings continue to occur, posing risks to merchant shipping and crew safety. The incident underscores the precarious security situation in the Horn of Africa.
Turkey has maintained a notable military presence in Somalia, operating a training facility in Mogadishu as part of broader cooperation agreements. The indian government often engages its network of diplomats and naval assets to assist Indian crew members in distress at sea. As of now, no official confirmation of the crew's safety or recovery efforts has been made public.
The hijacking of the LUTUF adds to a rising number of piracy incidents in the region in recent months. The Sward, hijacked in late April, remains under pirate control, according to maritime security reports. Analysts point to the withdrawal of some international naval assets from the Indian Ocean as a possible factor in the resurgence of pirate activity, though such assessments remain speculative without concrete data.
Authorities in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, have historically taken a firm stance against piracy. The official's account to the Associated Press remains the primary source for details, and independent verification is awaited. The families of the Indian crew members are reportedly anxious for updates, but no formal statements have been made.
