On 29 October 2026 a group of armed men identified as a Somali Pirate Action Group seized the Iranian fishing dhow AZINI about 185 nautical miles east of Bandarbeyla, in Puntland, MarineLink reported on 4 November 2026.
The attackers numbered 12 and the vessel was said to be carrying 21 Iranian fishermen together with two Somali security guards at the time of the boarding, according to the published account.
The hijacking of AZINI is the fourth incident recorded off the Somali coast in 2026, a fact highlighted in the MarineLink item and underscoring the continuing exposure of small fishing craft to armed assault in the region.
Incident details
MarineLink's report places the action on 29 October and gives the position as roughly 185 nautical miles east of Bandarbeyla, Puntland, where the dhow was operating when boarded by the armed group; the outlet published the story on 4 November 2026. The supplied notes indicate the boarding was carried out by a dozen armed pirates who took control of the vessel.
The account in the supplied notes stops short of a full chronology beyond early November, noting that events continued after the initial seizure. The available facts do not include any verified details of subsequent movement, negotiations, casualties or whether state or international authorities intervened.
Vessel and crew
The AZINI is identified as an Iranian fishing dhow and the crew complement is reported as 21 Iranian fishermen and two Somali security guards. No further information about the vessel's ownership, registration particulars or current location is provided in the supplied notes.
The presence of Somali security guards aboard the dhow reflects an approach sometimes taken by operators in the region, but the supplied material does not describe their role during the seizure or whether they were harmed, detained or able to resist.
The seizure being described as the fourth off Somalia this year places it within a pattern of recurring threat to commercial and fishing craft in the western Indian Ocean and adjacent waters, though the supplied notes offer no sequence of the earlier incidents or whether they involved similar vessels or armed groups.
The MarineLink report is the only directly cited source in the supplied facts and is dated 4 November 2026. Beyond the basic particulars of date, approximate position, the number of attackers and crew composition, the notes contain no further verified operational details, and therefore leave open a number of unanswered questions about the fate of the vessel and those aboard.
Responses from Iranian authorities, Puntland officials or international maritime security actors are not recorded in the material provided. The absence of those elements in the supplied notes means no authoritative statement about official reaction or follow-up action can be drawn from them.
For readers tracking security risks at sea, the seizure of AZINI serves as a reminder that violence against small fishing craft remains a concern in the waters east of Puntland. The supplied MarineLink item identifies the date of the attack, the reported composition of the boarding party and the number of crew, but does not supply conclusive information about later developments.
Any further verified information about the condition of the crew, the status of the dhow, or steps taken by authorities would need to be confirmed against additional reporting, official statements or maritime security advisories not included in the supplied notes.