The cargo ship Sward (8,500 dwt), which was held captive by Somali pirates for 138 days, was released on September 11, 2026. This ship, registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis, was attacked by pirates while carrying a load of fertilizer to Mombasa, Kenya, on April 26, 2026.
Conditions of Release and Ransom Payment
According to news sources, the ransom paid for the release of the Sward is estimated to be between $1.7 million and $2.7 million. The pirates released the ship near Garacad, Yemen, and then left the area by truck. There are also reports of a $40,000 payment for the release of two Iranian fishing boats.
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The Sward had a crew of 17, consisting of 15 Syrians and 2 Indians. During this time, the pirates used the ship as a mother base to carry out other attacks, leading to the hijacking of at least two Iranian boats and a cargo ship under the Cameroonian flag named Lutuf.
Increase in Pirate Activity off the Somali Coast
Currently, four other ships remain under the control of pirates. These include the tanker Honour 25, which was hijacked on April 21, and the tanker Eureka, which was taken on May 2. The tanker Asana was captured on July 17, and the tanker Sibu I, also known as Seamull, was seized on August 20.
Security analysts have warned against paying ransoms, stating that such actions may lead to an increase in pirate activity. Additionally, regional unrest and the potential support for the Houthis in Yemen could contribute to the rise of these activities in the Indian Ocean and off the Somali coast.
The European Union's monitoring and security operation, EU NAVFOR Atalanta, has dispatched naval forces to the area in response to the situation. In one instance, a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft conducted power display flights over a cargo ship, which ultimately led to the pirates fleeing from the ship Glamor (24,000 dwt).
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