‘This is my last voice note’: how piracy returned to Somalia and Yemen
The Take
Al Jazeera
4.7 • 747 Ratings
🗓️ 6 May 2026
⏱️ 20 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Piracy is rising again near Somalia. Since April 20, at least three ships have been hijacked off Somali waters and one near the Yemeni coast. A sailor’s voice note from a seized vessel has spread online. As the Iran war shakes the region, is it fueling attacks on key shipping routes?
In this episode:
- Mohamed Gabobe (@Mohamed_Gabobe), Journalist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé and Sarí el-Khalili with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. This episode was mixed by Rick Rush. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Al Jazeera Podcasts. |
| 0:10.7 | Today, the high seas are becoming dangerous again near Somalia. |
| 0:16.6 | Dad, we have been captured by pirates, and this is my last voice note. |
| 0:21.8 | I'm not sure if I will get a chance to speak to you again. |
| 0:25.3 | They are taking us away to execute us. |
| 0:27.9 | If I made any mistakes, please forgive me. |
| 0:32.5 | A desperate message from a sailor at sea and three vessels hijacked in just a week, is the war on Iran |
| 0:39.4 | to blame for rising piracy? I'm Malika Bilal, and this is the take. |
| 0:52.2 | Hey everyone, before we go on with today's show, remember to leave us a comment telling us what you think about this episode and what stories you want us to do next. And if you're listening on a podcast app, leave us a review telling us where you're listening from and feel free to give us a five-star rating while you're there. It helps other people find the show. |
| 1:16.8 | My name is Mohamed Gabobe. I'm a Somali journalist based in the capital Mogadishu. |
| 1:21.7 | Muhammad, welcome to the take. It is really good to have you. I want to start with a voice note that's been circulating |
| 1:29.2 | online for a few days now. I'm sure you've heard it. It is from a Pakistani sailor, aboard a ship |
| 1:35.4 | that was seized by Somali pirates in late April. And in it, the sailor is bidding a tearful |
| 1:43.3 | farewell to his family. |
| 1:45.8 | So let's play a click. |
| 1:49.3 | Please look after Aisha and the kids. |
| 1:51.9 | Give them good education. |
| 1:53.8 | Keep your heart strong. |
| 1:55.4 | It's okay. |
| 1:56.5 | What else can I say? |
| 1:59.3 | Can you walk us through what we know about what happened to his ship? |
| 2:04.9 | Yes, that ship is called Honor 25. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Al Jazeera, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Al Jazeera and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.