European naval force helps free ship seized by suspected Somali pirates off Horn of Africa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A European naval force in the Middle East helped free a Yemeni fishing boat seized by suspected Somali pirates off the Horn of Africa, authorities said.

The naval force, known as EUNAVFOR Atalanta, said late Thursday the incident remained under investigation. It said the 12 mariners on board were safe and uninjured.

It said the attack that began last week targeted a dhow, a traditional ship that plies the waters of the Mideast, off the town of Eyl in Somalia.

''The immediate presence of Atalanta forces in the area, especially the helicopter, was decisive in the fishing vessel liberation,'' EUNAVFOR said. ''The crew confirmed that the alleged pirates abandoned the vessel after stealing personal objects and two skiffs belonging to the dhow.''

Piracy off the Somali coast peaked in 2011 when 237 attacks were reported. Somali piracy in the region at the time cost the world's economy some $7 billion — with $160 million paid out in ransoms, according to the Oceans Beyond Piracy monitoring group.

The threat was diminished by increased international naval patrols, a strengthening central government in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, and other efforts.

However, Somali pirate attacks have resumed at a greater pace over the last year, in part due to the insecurity caused by Yemen's Houthi rebels launching their attacks in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

In 2024, there were seven reported incidents off Somalia, according to the International Maritime Bureau.