The Take ‘This is my last voice note’: how piracy returned to Somalia and Yemen
May 6, 2026
Mohamed Gabobe, a Somali journalist in Mogadishu reporting on rising piracy and maritime security. He recounts a sailor’s distressing voice note and the Honor 25 hijacking. He discusses recent spikes in seizures, links to illegal fishing and diverted naval focus, clan negotiation dynamics, and the risks of renewed large-scale piracy in the region.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Sailor's Last Voice Note From Honor 25
- A Pakistani sailor aboard the hijacked oil tanker Honor 25 recorded a tearful voice note saying it may be his last message.
- Mohamed Gabobe reports Honor 25 was seized on April 22 about 30 nautical miles off Somalia and remains held with ~17 multinational crew still unseen.
Piracy Is Rebounding As Routes Reroute
- Piracy off Somalia is spiking fast after years of relative calm, creating a volatile maritime security picture.
- Mohamed links the spike to redirected shipping (Strait of Hormuz closure) and rising insurance costs as traffic reroutes near Somali waters.
Multiple Drivers Behind New Hijackings
- Multiple drivers fuel the resurgence: illegal foreign fishing, opportunistic criminals, and diverted naval focus because of tensions elsewhere.
- Mohamed says armed groups exploit reduced international naval presence around Somalia amid heightened focus on Yemen and Hormuz.