Armed groups carried out an attack on a fishing vessel operating off the coast of Puntland, Somalia, the Maritime Security Center for the Indian Ocean confirmed.
The attack targeted a Chinese fishing vessel named Liao Dong Yu 578, which was sailing near the Kulule coastal area in Bandar-Bayla district of the Karkaar region.
The incident occurred on January 1, 2026. The center said investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the attack and any resulting damage, and it has not been confirmed whether the armed groups took control of the vessel or its crew.
The Liao Dong Yu 578 has a previous history of piracy incidents. The vessel was hijacked off the coast of Puntland in November 2024 and released in January 2025 after a ransom estimated at nearly $2 million was paid. The latest incident marks the second time the vessel has been targeted in a similar attack.
The Maritime Security Center for the Indian Ocean is a maritime monitoring organization focused on tracking vessel movements and security incidents in designated high-threat sea areas across the Indian Ocean region, providing alerts and assessments to maritime stakeholders.
