Suspected pirates steer cargo vessel towards Somalia

Pirates are suspected of hijacking a cargo vessel, the Sward, off the coast of Somalia, carrying cement from Suez, Egypt, to Mombasa, Kenya. The ship, with a crew of 15, was taken over by nine pirates approximately 11 km northeast of Garacad. While pirate activity had decreased from 2008 to 2018, it has started to rise again since late 2023 due to a decline in anti-piracy patrols.