Gulf of Aden piracy
Gulf of Aden
What happened
The Gulf of Aden lies between Somalia and Yemen on one of the world's busiest shipping routes. After the collapse of Somalia's government in 1991, piracy off the Somali coast grew, and pirates hijacked ships and held crews for ransom. Successful piracy dropped sharply by the end of 2011.
Why it matters
Experts link the piracy to several causes, including the civil war, illegal foreign fishing in Somali waters, and poverty. The attacks affected shipping around the world.
What came next
Navies from many countries patrolled the area. On 8 December 2008 the European Union launched Operation Atalanta, its first naval operation. A first successful hijacking of a cargo vessel in six years took place in December 2023.
Did you know?
Operation Atalanta was first set up to protect ships of the World Food Programme.
Timeline
- 1990 to 1991Somalia's navy is disbanded during the civil war.
- 8 December 2008The European Union launches Operation Atalanta.
- 2011Piracy success drops sharply by the end of the year.
- December 2023A cargo vessel is hijacked for the first time in six years.