IMO Secretary-General calls for urgent release of 44 seafarers held by pirates

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has appealed for urgent international efforts to secure the safe release of 44 seafarers held captive in Somali waters by pirates and armed robbers.

The seafarers are being held aboard three detained vessels: the MT Honour 25, Eureka and Sward, which were hijacked in separate incidents between April and May off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.

Secretary-General Dominguez highlighted the dire humanitarian situation facing the crews, who are running critically low on food and water while living under the constant threat of violence.

“These incidents are a stark reminder that the threat posed by piracy and armed robbery to seafarers has not receded and continues to warrant vigilance and support for coordinated action,” he said, addressing the IMO Council as it meets in London this week (6-10 July). “I ask for your support in securing their safe release.”

Secretary-General Dominguez reaffirmed his commitment to working alongside flag States, coastal States, regional bodies and industry to secure the seafarers’ release and end their ordeal.

He urged shipowners and operators to take all necessary precautions to protect crews, including implementing the Best Management Practices for Maritime Security and conducting thorough risk assessments before transiting the region.

Tackling rising maritime security threats

The incidents have highlighted worsening trends in global maritime security, particularly for piracy and armed robbery in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Over the past three months alone, IMO has recorded 24 attempted and actual incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the region, involving increasingly dangerous weapons and escalating violence against innocent seafarers.

Globally, reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea increased by 17% between 2024 and 2025, rising from 146 incidents to 171.

IMO continues to monitor the situation closely and support regional anti-piracy efforts through the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment, which brings together 22 coastal and island States across the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden to strengthen maritime security cooperation, and capacity-building initiatives such as the Red Sea Project.