Armed assailants boarded the chemical tanker Asana off the southern coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden on Friday and are in control of the vessel, maritime security officials said. Based on initial assessments, the incident appeared to be related to Somali piracy ​rather than Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia, one of the maritime security sources said. Attempted attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden have ‌risen in recent weeks, adding to concerns over safety in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz on the other side, boosting risks for critical energy shipments from the region to buyers in Asia. The small tanker, which had no confirmed flag, had listed the Somali port of Bosaso as its next destination, ship tracking data showed. Efforts were under way to assist ​the Asana tanker and determine the circumstances of what happened, said an official with the European Union’s Aspides naval mission, which is active in ​the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region.

Full report : Suspected pirates seize tanker off Yemen coast in Gulf of Aden.