Image for representation purposes only A chemical tanker was hijacked off Yemen’s southern coast on Friday in a suspected act of Somali piracy, maritime security officials said. It was the second tanker seized in the Gulf of Aden in three months. The vessel, identified by Puntland security officials as the MT Asana, was boarded by armed men while sailing about 65 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukalla port. Maritime security sources said initial assessments suggested the incident was linked to Somali pirates rather than Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Merchant ships continue to face security risks in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Strait of Hormuz. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a vessel was boarded by “unauthorised personnel” while transiting east through the Gulf of Aden. It advised ships in the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity. Three Puntland security officials told the BBC the tanker was the MT Asana, which they said was sailing under the Tanzanian flag and heading to the Puntland port of Bosaso. According to the officials, seven armed men left a remote area near the port town of Garacad before boarding the vessel. Ship-tracking data cited by Reuters showed Bosaso as the vessel’s next destination, although the tanker had no confirmed flag. British maritime security company Ambrey said the tanker sent a distress call at about 0620 GMT and was operating without an armed security team. It assessed that the attackers were likely part of a pirate action group. Vanguard, another British maritime security firm, said armed assailants had taken control of the vessel. It added that the number of attackers, the circumstances of the boarding, and the condition of the crew were still unclear. The Regional Maritime Information Exchange Center, which is linked to Yemen’s internationally recognised government, said the incident showed “clear indications of an act of pi