An Emirati dhow hijacked by Somali pirates last month has been abandoned in the Arabian Sea after the gang failed to use the vessel to attack other ships, security officials in Somalia's Puntland region told AFP.

The 11-member pirate group seized the 'Fahad-4' in late April about 10 nautical miles off the coastal town of Dhinowda in northeastern Somalia. The dhow was carrying a cargo of lemons, and the fate of its crew remains unknown.

After taking control, the pirates used the hijacked ship as a mothership to attempt to attack other vessels. However, they were forced to abandon it on May 4 due to dwindling supplies and heightened alert among ships transiting Somali waters.

The incident is the latest in a resurgence of Somali piracy after years of relative calm. The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) has raised piracy threats to 'severe' following a string of attacks on commercial shipping routes.

Several vessels remain under pirate control, including the Honour 25 tanker (hijacked April 21) and the Syrian-flagged Sward. In the Gulf of Aden, pirates also seized the Togo-flagged tanker Eureka.

Analysts suggest that the diversion of antipiracy patrols to the Red Sea since 2023 and the focus of some navies on the Strait of Hormuz have created opportunities for pirates. The surge in petrol prices amid the US-Israel war on Iran has also made fuel tankers more valuable targets.

Source: www.aljazeera.com