Hijacked MT Enrico Levoli Conducting Mothership Operations in Gulf of Aden [ADVISORY]

The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence has issued an advisory that the hijacked MT Enrico Ievoli is underway off the coast of Somalia and possibly heading for the Gulf of Aden to conduct mothership operations.

The Italian flagged and owned MT Enrico Ievoli was hijacked on December 27 off the coast of Oman while on its way to a rendezvous point for a Chinese armed convoy.  The vessel had a crew of 18 — 6 Italian, 5 Ukranian and 7 Indian — and was carrying 15,750mt of caustic soda when she was hijacked.

Copied below is the advisory issues by ONI:

AS OF 19 JANUARY AT 1531Z, THE SOMALI-PIRATED M/T ENRICO IEVOLI IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA ON A NORTH/NORTHEAST COURSE POSSIBLY HEADING TOWARDS THE GULF OF ADEN AND WAS LAST LOCATED IN POSITION 11-02N 053-06E.  ONI BELIEVES PIRATES WITH WEAPONS AND AN ATTACK SKIFF ARE ABOARD THE VESSEL.

AT THIS TIME, ONI CANNOT CONFIRM IF THIS VESSEL IS MOVING TO CONDUCT PIRATE ATTACKS WITH THE M/T ENRICO IEVOLI AS A MOTHERSHIP.

REGARDLESS, MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN VIGILANT WITH THEIR COUNTER-PIRACY MEASURES AND BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR THIS VESSEL.  REPORT ANY ABNORMAL CIRCUMSTANCERS OR EVENTS PER BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.

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