🔗 Share this article European Union Maritime Forces Free Crew After Somalia Piracy Incident on Vessel The Hellas Aphrodite was captured by pirates on Thursday European Union naval forces have successfully rescued 24 sailors from a Malta-registered petroleum vessel that was targeted by sea robbers off the shoreline of Somali waters. The Hellas Aphrodite, which was carrying petrol from Indian ports to South African destinations, was taken over on Thursday when heavily armed attackers began shooting with automatic weapons and explosive projectiles before taking control of the vessel. The crew secured themselves inside a secure safe room while the attackers assumed command of the marine transport. Mission Accomplished A Spanish warship, operating under the EU's anti-piracy mission, reached the ship on Friday afternoon. Elite military units entered the craft and found all 24 crew members unharmed. "The crew is secure and no harm have been documented. Throughout the ordeal, they remained in the secure area in constant communication with the operation," authorities stated, adding that a "show of force" had convinced the attackers to abandon the ship before the warship reached the location. Continuing Danger Officials added that the danger level in the region "continues to be serious" as the pirates are still in the area. The rescue operation utilized a helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle and reconnaissance plane. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the identical region was targeted by a small speedboat but successfully avoided it. Resurgence of Piracy This event represents the most recent in a series of attacks that have raised alarms about a renewal of maritime crime in the region. Such activity had declined when global maritime security and security measures were introduced after reaching their highest point more than a ten years past. Nevertheless, assaults by Yemen's Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea, which have been conducted for the past two years, have caused vessels to be rerouted through the African coastline - opening up new opportunities for Somali gangs. Incident Data Seven reported incidents of piracy occurred off the shoreline of the Somali region in the previous year Several vessel takeovers were documented among these incidents Only one incident of piracy was reported in the preceding year Industry professionals continue to monitor the situation as vessel operators travel through these potentially hazardous waters.