A tanker operating off Yemen was boarded by six armed people who seized control and diverted the vessel towards Somalia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on August 20, 2026.

The incident was reported approximately 136 nautical miles east of Mukalla, a port city on Yemen’s southern coast. According to UKMTO, the tanker had been travelling west through the Gulf of Aden when it reported the approach of an unauthorised vessel.

UKMTO subsequently said that the armed individuals had boarded the tanker, taken control and changed its course towards Somalia.

No further information was provided about the identity or flag of the tanker, the people who boarded it, or the circumstances surrounding the diversion. UKMTO also did not confirm whether the vessel or its crew were safe.

The available report does not establish the motive for the boarding or formally classify the incident. Further details from maritime authorities or the vessel’s operators were not available in the supplied information.