India, Aug. 21 -- Two separate pirate hijackings in waters off Yemen and Somalia have put 22 Indian nationals aboard commercial vessels at the centre of a fresh maritime security crisis. The incidents happened just days apart as pirate activity again intensifies around the Gulf of Aden and Somalia's Puntland coast.

The latest incident involved the Eritrea-flagged product tanker Sibu 1, which was seized in the Gulf of Aden on August 20. A separate hijacking on August 17 involved the Cameroon-flagged cargo ship Lutuf, which had six Indians among its 10 crew members. Maritime security reports say both incidents are part of a renewed wave of piracy in the region.

Two Ships Hijacked With 22 Indians On Board

The two incidents involved differ...