Last Updated on April 28, 2026, 11:45 AM AST by Anthony Morris
A cargo ship bearing the flag of St Kitts and Nevis has been hijacked for the coast of Somalia on Monday. The confirmation for the hijack was given by a local maritime security official. The ship was carrying cement and was taken by unknown number of hijackers mid journey.
Notably, the vessel which was hijacked was called the MV Sward. The vessel bears the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis as a “Flag of Convenience” (FOC). To clarify , this does not mean that the ship belongs to the Federation.
It is however standard within the industry where a ship is registered in a country other than its owner’s home nation for regulatory advantages.
According to the details which were made available to the media, the ship was taken off the coastal town of Garacad in the Somali region of Puntland by six pirates. The officer who shared the details of the hijack was part of the Puntland Maritime Police Force.
He was not authorized to speak to the media regarding this matter, so he spoke on the condition of anonymity. The hijacking incident was also reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
The officials have shared that the incident happened six nautical miles northeast of Garacad. The vessel was going from Egypt to the Kenyan Port City of Mombasa.
The experts of maritime geography shared that the area where the hijacking happened has been associated with maritime raiders. Two Indian nationals and 13 Syrians were part of the crew at the hijacked cruise ship.
The official from maritime security in Portland has confirmed that nine pirates boarded and took control of the vessel. The officials have shared that the area has been known to be infested with pirates. The safety and present condition of the ship and the crew can not be confirmed with certainty.
Experts believe that the ship is likely being taken deeper into problematic maritime areas within Somalia . The pirates have been terrorizing parts of the coastline for years. The peak of these disturbances was seen in the years 2008-2018. The situation stabilized in the years that followed, however, the circle is likely restarting with tensions returning to the coast area
The current situation of the cargo ship remains unknown and can not be accurately communicated.
According to the maritime security officers, this is the second ship to be taken in the Somalian Waters within the week. The previous attempt by made by pirates on April 21, 2026.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
