Pirates allegedly hijack chemical tanker Asana in Gulf of Aden off Yemen

Chemical tanker Asana was hijacked by armed assailants in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen.

UKMTO reported the vessel was boarded by unauthorized personnel while transiting east.

The incident occurred around 65 nautical miles south of Yemen's Al Mukalla port.

Initial assessments suggest the hijacking is linked to Somali piracy, not Houthi militia.

A South Korean warship was dispatched to the area; the vessel's operator is Marshall Islands-based Exon Energy.