MV Sward crew freed by Somali pirates after 138 days

The MV Sward was released on September 11, 2026, ending a 138-day ordeal that began when Somali pirates seized the St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo ship in late April while it was en route from the Suez Canal to Mombasa.

All 17 crew members were freed. The group included 15 Syrians and 2 Indians. A ransom was paid, though the amount was not disclosed.

Pirates boarded the ship on April 26 as it was carrying a fertilizer cargo destined for Kenya. Over the months that followed, they used MV Sward as a floating base, launching raids from it to capture the Cameroon-flagged MV Lutuf and two Iranian fishing ships.

The Sward was freed near Garacad on the Puntland coast. Four ships remain in pirate hands in the area: Honour 25, Eureka, Asana, and Seamull, also known as Sibu I.

According to The Maritime Executive, the same day MV Sward was freed, a separate group of pirates attempted to board the Greek bulk carrier Glamor near Al Mukalla. The crew repelled the approach with a show of force.

Somali piracy has picked up sharply over the past year. Disruptions in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz have pushed shipping routes back toward the Somali coast, bringing ships closer to waters where armed groups have regained confidence.