An Oct. 28 advisory from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre said reports of suspicious activity could indicate Pirate Action Group activity and urged Gulf of Aden vessels to report such activity.
The notice separately relayed reports of small craft near merchant vessels in the area. The advisory lists military authorities as its source.
One reported craft had a hook and two ladders aboard, with nine people on it; UKMTO described the boat as blue and green. The agency advised ships transiting the area to notify UKMTO of suspicious activity and follow BMP MS guidance. It said authorities were looking into the reports.
A ministerial communiqué cited in EconoTimes' earlier coverage of piracy risks to Red Sea shipping called for coastal states and partners to coordinate against piracy under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It also warned that escalating Red Sea tensions could harm trade and investment and worsen security risks, including piracy and terrorism.
