Egypt mobilizes diplomatic channels to secure release of hijacked vessel crew off Somali coast

CAIRO - 29 June 2026: Egypt has launched a multi-nation diplomatic mobilization to secure the immediate release of Egyptian sailors held aboard the hijacked cargo ship MT Eureka off the coast of Somalia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Monday.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty ordered round-the-clock monitoring of the hijacking to track the status of the vessel, hijacked on May 2, and protect the welfare of the Egyptian crew members.

The Egyptian Embassy in Mogadishu is maintaining continuous contact with Somali federal authorities and high-level regional entities to ensure humane living conditions for the detained sailors while fast-tracking negotiations for their safe release.

Embassy officials have additionally established a secure communication link allowing the crew to contact their families directly.

Simultaneously, Cairo has directed the Egyptian Embassy in Riyadh—which holds diplomatic accreditation to the Yemeni government—to coordinate directly with official Yemeni authorities and the ship's commercial owner to accelerate release efforts.

At the ministry headquarters in Cairo, Abdelatty instructed the Consular Affairs Department to hold regular briefings with the sailors' families, keeping them updated on the complex intelligence and diplomatic measures being deployed to resolve the maritime crisis.