Somali pirates have released the MV Sward and its 17 crew members near Garacad, nearly five months after the vessel was hijacked off Somalia's coast on April 26, Puntland security sources told AFP, adding that a ransom was paid for its release.
The MV Sward was hijacked by armed men off Somalia's coast on April 26. According to the latest AFP report, the vessel had 17 crew members, 15 Syrians and two Indians.
A Puntland security source told AFP that the pirates left the vessel after its release and went ashore, where several vehicles were waiting before they travelled into Garacad.
Another Puntland security source said the vehicles were waiting on shore before the pirates arrived, suggesting they may have remained in contact with associates on land while operating at sea. Two other Puntland security sources confirmed details of the release to AFP, adding that the MV Sward was used as a mothership to launch further attacks while under pirate control.
According to the sources, the pirates used the vessel to capture at least two Iranian fishing vessels and the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship MV Lutuf.
The Iranian fishing vessels and the MV Lutuf were later released. Puntland security sources told AFP at the end of August that $2.5 million was paid for the MV Lutuf's release, while $40,000 was reportedly paid to secure the release of the two Iranian vessels.
Somalia's federal government has given a different account of the MV Lutuf's release. Their Defence Ministry said Somali and Turkish forces freed the vessel during an operation after the remaining attackers fled.
Furthermore, they said four boats used by the pirates were destroyed and 14 alleged pirates were killed during the operation. The Associated Press separately reported the government's account and confirmed that a local elder said the vessel and its crew had been freed.
The MV Sward's release comes amid a resurgence of piracy along Somalia's coast and in the Gulf of Aden.
An AFP analysis of reports from the International Maritime Organization's Global Integrated Shipping Information System found that at least 15 piracy attacks had been recorded in the region in 2026, the highest annual figure since 2013.
Four commercial vessels, Honour 25, Eureka, Asana and Seamull, were still being held by Somali pirates, according to the latest AFP reporting.
Piracy off Somalia declined significantly after international naval operations and other maritime security measures were introduced but the latest attacks have raised fresh concerns over the safety of vessels using the region.
With several vessels still in pirate hands, attention will remain on efforts by Somali authorities and international maritime forces to prevent further hijackings and strengthen security along the region's major shipping routes.