Somali pirates release M/V Sward after ransom payment

Somali pirates operating from Puntland announced the release of the cargo vessel M/V Sward, which had been seized earlier this year. The ship, carrying 17 crew members—15 Syrians and two Indians—was brought to the port of Garacad, where the pirates disembarked and left the vessel intact. Sources said the release followed a ransom payment, but did not reveal the sum.

The M/V Sward had served as a mother-ship, launching smaller boats to capture Iranian fishing vessels and the cargo ship M/V Lutuf, both of which were also liberated after ransom deals. Puntland officials linked the pirate network to a recent surge in attacks in the Gulf of Aden, where at least 15 incidents have been recorded in 2026, a record since 2013. The federal Somali government credited Turkish naval pressure and Somali forces for freeing the Lutuf, while noting ongoing piracy threats to several tankers still held off the coast.