*** ALERT: Sailing to Somalia is considered far too hazardous in the present circumstances and anyone intending to sail anywhere near Somalia should obtain the latest information on the internal situation before venturing anywhere near a Somali port. ***

Somalia Country Updates

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Somalia Facts for Sailors

• Sailing to Somalia is considered far too hazardous in the present circumstances and anyone intending to sail anywhere near Somalia should obtain the latest information on the internal situation before venturing anywhere near a Somali port.
• Only major ports should be approached and only in serious emergencies.
• Violent crime, including looting and banditry, is common, especially in Mogadishu, while many other areas of the country are suffering from armed conflict. There is no functioning national government.
• While it is commercial vessels that are being targeted by pirates, yachts should be aware of the latest incidents (see below) if planning to transit to or from the Red Sea.

PIRACY

• The waters in the vicinity of the Somali coast, both south and west of the Horn of Africa, are considered to be dangerous for both commercial shipping and small boats. The US authorities advise vessels to stay at least 48 km (30 miles) off the African coast.
• EUNAVFOR Atalanta (the EU Operation to contribute to maritime security in the north-western Indian Ocean) reported that early in May 2024 two small crafts were reported to have come alongside a Liberian-registered vessel that was en-route from Porto Grande in Cape Verde to Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates.  There were earlier reports that pirates had hijacked a fishing dhow off the coast of Somalia. In the past, EUNAVFOR Atalanta has warned that attacks on merchant ships appear to take place within 12 days after reports of dhow hijackings.
• Vessels are strongly advised to avoid passing between the island of Socotra and the African mainland, while those approaching from the east through the Gulf of Aden should stay well clear of both the Somali and Yemeni coasts, as both are considered to be dangerous.
• EUNAVFOR Atalanta has also put out a strong warning (May 2024) for the area around Socotra island closer to Yemen. EUNAVFOR Atalanta have warned that at least two groups are thought to be active in that area.
• While the number of pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa fell dramatically since 2011, with only eight reported attacks in 2017, three in 2018 and none in 2019, EUNAVFOR Atalanta is reporting that Since November 2023, there has been a notable surge in reported events that could potentially escalate into piracy attacks off the Somali coast.
• For more information review this Report on the Continued Somali Piracy Threats from the ICC International Maritime Bureau.
• A good article by CNN on how the security situation is slowly improving in Somalia can be found at this link.

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