đź”— Share this article EU Naval Forces Rescue Sailors Following Somalia Pirate Attack on Oil Tanker The Maltese-flagged tanker was captured by armed attackers on recently EU maritime units have safely freed 24 sailors from a Maltese-flagged oil tanker that was targeted by sea robbers off the coast of Somalia. The Hellas Aphrodite, which was carrying fuel from Indian ports to South Africa, was seized on the recent incident when armed pirates opened fire with automatic weapons and explosive projectiles before boarding the vessel. All sailors locked themselves inside a fortified citadel while the pirates assumed command of the marine transport. Successful Rescue Operation A naval vessel, functioning under the EU's anti-piracy mission, reached the ship on Friday afternoon. Elite military units boarded the vessel and discovered all two dozen sailors safe and sound. "The crew is secure and no injuries have been reported. During the ordeal, they remained in the citadel in constant communication with the operation," officials announced, adding that a "demonstration of power" had convinced the attackers to leave the vessel before the naval unit arrived. Ongoing Threat Officials emphasized that the threat risk in the area "continues to be serious" as the armed groups are still in the vicinity. The mission involved a helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle and surveillance aircraft. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the same area was targeted by a small speedboat but successfully avoided it. Resurgence of Piracy This incident marks the latest in a spate of incidents that have created concern about a resurgence of maritime crime in the area. Piracy operations had declined when international naval patrols and protective protocols were introduced after peaking more than a ten years past. Nevertheless, assaults by Yemen's Houthi rebels on ships in the Arabian Sea, which have been carried out for the past two years, have caused ships to be diverted through the African coastline - opening up new opportunities for local pirate groups. Incident Data Seven reported incidents of maritime crime took place off the coast of Somalia last year Three hijackings were documented among these incidents A single case of piracy was noted in the preceding year Industry professionals continue to monitor the situation as shipping companies travel through these increasingly dangerous shipping lanes.