In the latest of a series of pirate hijackings off Somalia this year EUNAVFOR ATALANTA reported a suspected hijacking of Yemini dhow, or fishing vessel, on 16 March in the vicinity of Eyl, Northern coast of Puntland.

EUNAVFOR ATALANTA said the incident had been classified as a hijacking with seven hijackers remaining on board. The dhow has a crew of eight Somali nationals on board.

"EUNAVFOR ATALANTA is monitoring the event and coordinating closely with the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and with the Yemeni Coast Guard," the naval force said.

It is the latest in a series of such incidents this year. The Yemini Saytuun-2 was hijacked by pirates on 17 February who left the vessel five days later. On 8 February the dhow Al Najma was hijacked off Eyl and liberated by EUNAVFOR ATALANTA forces on 13 February.

The rise in hijacking of fishing vessels has prompted concerns of a possible resurgence of attacks on larger commercial ships transiting off the coast of Somalia. Previously dhows were used as motherships by the pirates to launch attacks on vessels transiting hundreds of miles out from the Somali coastline.