Wednesday May 13, 2026
Ambassador Haddad El-Gohary, Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs and Egyptians Abroad, revealed details surrounding the hijacking of a commercial cargo ship carrying an Egyptian crew by pirates off the Somali coast, emphasizing the swift action taken by Egyptian diplomacy to ensure the sailors’ safety and secure their immediate release.
During a phone interview on Al-Hayat TV, Ambassador Haddad El-Gohary denied reports that the pirates had specifically targeted the Egyptian sailors. He explained that pirates typically attack ships without prior knowledge of the crew members’ identities or nationalities.
He said the incident occurred on May 2, when an oil tanker belonging to a UAE company was hijacked off the Yemeni coast, near Shabwa Governorate. After seizing control of the vessel, the pirates reportedly took it to Somalia’s Puntland region, where it is currently anchored in Somali territorial waters, about 50 kilometers northeast of the capital, Mogadishu. He noted that the crew consists of eight Egyptian sailors and four Indian sailors.
Ambassador El-Gohary affirmed that the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has closely monitored the crisis since it began, given the presence of Egyptian nationals among the crew.
He added that Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty issued immediate directives to the Egyptian Embassy in Mogadishu to maintain close and continuous contact with the relevant Somali authorities to ensure the crew’s safety and secure their release as quickly as possible.
In a move aimed at reassuring the sailors’ families, the ambassador said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had successfully established direct and ongoing communication between the abducted sailors and their families in Egypt.
He confirmed that the Egyptian sailors are in good health and are being treated well, stressing that their safety and well-being remain the Egyptian state’s top priority in handling the crisis.
The ambassador concluded his remarks by reassuring the public and the sailors’ families that the Egyptian state is following the matter at the highest diplomatic and security levels. He also expressed optimism that the crisis would soon be resolved and that the Egyptian sailors would return home safely in the near future.