Pirates return and hijack a freighter off Somalian coast

© Philcold

Uh oh, they’re back. In the first such attack in the Horn of Africa region for almost five years, Somali pirates have hijacked an oil tanker in transit from Djibouti to the Somali capital of Mogadishu. For some time, security and naval experts have warned that Somali pirates could return to their traditional hunting grounds as soon as they thought it was safe to do so. That time appears to be now, and it would be no surprise if shipowners once more returned to using the most effective deterrent to pirates – armed guards.