Hijacked Iran-linked oil tanker not registered in Eritrea, government says

A ​U.S.-sanctioned oil tanker that ​was hijacked last ‌week by ​suspected pirates off the coast of Yemen and ‌diverted toward Somalia is not registered in Eritrea despite flying the country's flag, Eritrea's government said. The Sibu ‌1, which the U.S. Treasury sanctioned ‌last December for allegedly being part of a shadow fleet that helps Iranian petroleum products evade U.S. sanctions, ⁠has ​no affiliation ⁠with Eritrea, Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel told Reuters. The ship ⁠is widely listed by ship-tracking websites as ​sailing under an Eritrean flag, but a database ⁠run by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization states ⁠its ​current flag status as "Eritrea False", suggesting its registration is not recognised as valid. It was ⁠last seen on Monday about 6 km (3.7 miles) ⁠off ⁠the coast of northeastern Somalia, according to ship-tracking data.