The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has appealed for the urgent release of 44 seafarers held captive by pirates and armed robbers in Somali waters. These seafarers are detained aboard three vessels attacked in separate incidents during April and May and are now facing shortages of food and water alongside constant threats of violence.

The IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, highlighted the alarming rise in piracy and armed robbery incidents, noting that 24 such cases were recorded in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region over the past three months. Globally, incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea increased by 17% between 2024 and 2025, rising from 146 to 171 reported cases.

Dominguez addressed the IMO Council in London, emphasizing that the threat to seafarers remains significant and requires continued vigilance and coordinated international efforts. Since 2009, 22 coastal and island states in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, including Somalia, have committed to combating piracy through the IMO’s Djibouti Code of Conduct and its 2017 Jeddah Amendment.

In addition to the piracy concerns, the IMO has been actively evacuating mariners stranded due to regional conflicts. Last month, it evacuated 2,500 seafarers from the Strait of Hormuz but had to suspend operations following an attack on a container ship in the Gulf of Oman. The agency aims to evacuate a total of 11,000 mariners trapped aboard 600 vessels in the Persian Gulf amid ongoing tensions related to the US-Israeli war against Iran and subsequent counterstrikes.

Dominguez affirmed that the IMO will continue collaborating with flag states, coastal states, regional bodies, and the maritime industry to secure the release of the detained seafarers and enhance maritime safety.

Sources