A Chinese fishing vessel with up to 18 crew members has reportedly been taken over by alleged pirates off the coast of Somalia, according to the European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta. The incident, classified as a robbery at sea, involved armed individuals wielding AK-47s and machine guns. Fortunately, none of the crew members were injured during the seizure.
The European Union anti-piracy force responded to an alert from authorities in Somalia's Puntland region regarding the hijacking of the Chinese ship. China, a key player in the region due to its naval activities and economic interests in Africa and the Middle East, has not yet issued a statement on the situation.
