Armed pirates abducted nine crew members from a vessel in Gabonese waters on January 10, in a violent assault, while US forces seized stateless tanker M/T Sophia during illicit operations in the Caribbean Sea on January 7. Both incidents serve to demonstrate persistent maritime security threats in key regions; naval responses support enforcement efforts.
Reports by maritime security analysts demonstrate an upsurge in piracy during the period from 30 December 2025 to 5 January 2026, including hijackings of fishing vessels off Somalia and Yemen, kidnappings in Nigeria, and attacks in the Gulf of Aden. Securewest recorded 16 incidents overall despite global efforts at monitoring high-risk areas.
The number of attacks worldwide climbed by 46% in the January-September period compared with 2024, with the Singapore Strait seeing 73 attacks – the same number it recorded in 1991 – yet hands-on threats to crews remained “inexplicably unresolved” despite security and enforcement upgrades around the region.