🔗 Share this article European Union Maritime Forces Rescue Crew After Somali Piracy Incident on Vessel The Maltese-flagged tanker was captured by armed attackers on Thursday EU maritime units have successfully rescued 24 sailors from a Malta-registered petroleum vessel that was targeted by sea robbers off the shoreline of Somalia. The vessel, which was carrying fuel from India to South Africa, was seized on Thursday when heavily armed attackers opened fire with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades 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 Spanish warship, operating under the European Union's maritime security operation, reached the tanker on the following day. Special forces entered the craft and discovered all two dozen sailors unharmed. "The crew is secure and no harm have been reported. During the ordeal, they stayed in the secure area in constant communication with the operation," officials stated, noting that a "demonstration of power" had prompted the pirates to leave the vessel before the naval unit arrived. Ongoing Threat Officials emphasized that the danger level in the area "continues to be serious" as the pirates are continue to be in the vicinity. The rescue operation utilized a aircraft, drone and reconnaissance plane. Shortly before, a different vessel in the same area was approached by a fast boat but successfully avoided it. Resurgence of Piracy This incident marks the latest in a spate of incidents that have raised alarms about a resurgence of maritime crime in the area. Such activity had declined when global maritime security and protective protocols were implemented after peaking more than a ten years past. However, assaults by Yemen's Houthi rebels on ships in the Arabian Sea, which have been carried out for the recent period, have led ships to be diverted through East Africa's Indian Ocean - creating new opportunities for local pirate groups. Incident Data Multiple piracy cases of maritime crime occurred off the shoreline of the Somali region last year Several vessel takeovers were recorded among these events A single case of piracy was noted in the preceding year Maritime security experts continue to monitor the developments as shipping companies travel through these increasingly dangerous waters.