Somali Navy Rescues All 18 Crew After Cargo Ship Jacuar Runs Aground En Route To Egypt

Somalia’s navy has rescued all 18 crew members from the cargo ship Jacuar after the vessel ran aground and started taking on water while sailing from Mozambique to Egypt.

The Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport said on September 17 that it was monitoring the ship after water entered part of the vessel.

The crew members were from India, Syria and Egypt.

According to some media reports, the ship had capsized, but Somali officials have not confirmed this. They have also not said exactly where the incident took place.

The vessel was carrying about 7,007.73 tonnes of cargo on a voyage from Nacala Port in Mozambique to Adabiya Port in Egypt.

Somalia’s maritime authority said Jacuar ran aground after water entered the ship. It did not give a reason for the grounding or say what cargo the vessel was carrying.

The ministry said it was working with other agencies on the emergency response and rescue.

Jacuar is a general cargo ship built in 1998. It is about 100.64 metres long and 18.8 metres wide, with a summer deadweight of 8,556 tonnes.

The ship is registered in Basseterre under the Saint Kitts and Nevis flag. Vessel databases list Brothers Maritime Trading Co in Mersin, Turkey, as its registered owner. Sonar Shipping & Management is listed as the ship manager and ISM manager.

Before this voyage, Jacuar had called at several ports in the region, including Al Adabiyah in Egypt, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti.

The ship has also had previous problems during port inspections.

Egyptian authorities found deck corrosion and faulty engine-room gauges during an inspection in December 2025.

Jordanian authorities detained Jacuar in September 2024 and again in April 2025 over safety concerns.

Somalia is rebuilding its naval forces after years of limited activity.

Somali media reported in April 2025 that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had appointed a new naval commander. The appointment came after the Somali National Army operated without a naval component.

Per reports, the navy had been largely dormant since the early 1990s. Recruitment efforts reportedly started around 2022. The commander appointed in 2025 said he wanted to speed up the expansion of the force.

Mohamud has also said he wanted to revive Somalia’s air force.

Somalia has been working on other parts of its maritime-security system as well.

In July, the European Union said it had held a 10-day Coast Guard Border Police and Maritime Crimes Course in Mogadishu. Coast guard and navy personnel, along with police officers, took part.

The Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport has also been working on a new vessel documentation system. The system is intended to ensure that registered vessels carry official national identification when operating in domestic and international waters.

The International Maritime Organisation has reported 24 attacks, including attempted and successful incidents, in the previous three months, according to the information provided.

Six merchant vessels and more than 90 seafarers are also reported to be held hostage by pirates in the region.

Somalia’s Upper House of Parliament has approved an Anti-Piracy and Anti-Kidnapping Bill. The bill is now awaiting presidential assent.

References: ftlsomalia, axadletimes