Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - Eight Egyptian sailors who had been held aboard the oil tanker M/T Eureka since its hijacking in May have been released, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The sailors were seized when the tanker was hijacked near the Yemeni coast on May 2 and later taken into waters near Somalia’s Puntland region. Their release brings an end to nearly five months of captivity.
The Foreign Ministry said the release followed sustained high-level diplomatic contacts with officials in Somalia and Yemen.
Egypt’s embassy in Mogadishu has been instructed to receive the sailors, check on their condition and arrange their return to Egypt on the earliest available flight. The ministry also said the sailors had remained in contact with their families during their captivity, providing reassurance about their safety.
The release closes a months-long crisis that had placed renewed attention on maritime security around the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden.
Egyptian authorities had maintained contact with Somali and Yemeni officials and the vessel’s owner while efforts continued to secure the sailors’ freedom. The eight men are now expected to return home as arrangements for their repatriation are completed.
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