European Union naval forces successfully rescued 24 sailors from the Maltese-flagged oil tanker Hellas Aphrodite, which was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. The vessel, transporting petrol from India to South Africa, was seized when armed pirates opened fire before boarding. The crew sheltered in a fortified citadel and remained unharmed during the incident, prompting a Spanish warship under Operation Atalanta to intervene. Despite the successful rescue, the threat of piracy in the area remains high, with recent attacks raising concerns over a resurgence in piracy.
