The Spanish frigate Victoria, part of the European Atalanta operation, has freed a Maltese tanker with 24 crew members seized by Somali pirates. The incident took place 700 nautical miles from Mogadishu, with no personal injuries reported. The pirates fled following a show of force by the Spanish Navy.
On Friday, November 7, 2025, the Spanish Navy's frigate Victoria, integrated into the European Union's Atalanta operation against piracy in the Indian Ocean, intervened in the seizure of the Maltese-flagged tanker Hellas Aphrodite. The tanker had been detained the previous Thursday by pirates about 700 nautical miles (1,296 kilometers) off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.
The 24 crew members took refuge in the ship's citadel and stayed in contact with Atalanta's headquarters at the Rota base (Cádiz). According to the operation's official statement, “after an early show of force,” the pirates abandoned the Hellas Aphrodite without causing any personal injuries. The liberation was conducted by the Spanish frigate using its helicopter, a drone, a special operations team, and a reconnaissance aircraft.
Right after the hijacking, a search operation was launched involving a Japanese maritime patrol aircraft, the maritime authorities of Seychelles, and those of Puntland, the secessionist region in northern Somalia. The pirates, who fled upon the frigate's arrival, are being pursued, as reported by Atalanta.
This event highlights a resurgence in piracy off Somalia's coasts, which had reached minimal levels in recent years. The uptick is linked to Israel's offensive in Gaza and Houthi attacks from Yemen on ships in the Red Sea, disrupting maritime routes in the area.