ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Wednesday confirmed that three Pakistani nationals were killed during the operation to recover the MT Honour 25 oil tanker, which Somali pirates had hijacked in April. Five crew members lost their lives in total.
MT Honour 25 hijacked: how the recovery played out
Puntland’s maritime police said its naval and ground units carried out a planned operation in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district on Tuesday. In a later statement, the force said the operation had concluded and the Palau-flagged vessel was now safe under the Puntland government’s control. Twenty-one suspected pirates were apprehended, and searches for the remaining ones continue.
The pirates killed five of the 19 crew before the operation began. Alongside the three Pakistanis, one crew member each from Myanmar and India lost their lives. Four crew were injured, three of them Pakistanis, and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the surviving crew had been brought safely ashore at Bandar Beyla, a town in Puntland. A team from the Pakistan embassy in Djibouti is travelling there to assist the Pakistani nationals.
MT Honour 25 hijacked: Pakistan’s diplomatic response
The Foreign Office said Pakistan remained in close contact with Somali authorities and other concerned parties through its missions. It added that every effort was being made to ensure medical care for the injured, arrange transport of the dead, and bring surviving Pakistani crew members home safely.
The three deceased Pakistanis were identified as Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari. The Foreign Office conveyed condolences to their families.
MT Honour 25 hijacked: months of deadlock before the raid
The MT Honour 25 was hijacked in April with 19 crew on board, including 10 Pakistanis. Months passed with no progress in negotiations or payment of a ransom said to be around $3 million. Reports described the hostages as victims of an “ownership crisis”, since the vessel’s ownership was never clearly established and the man thought to be the owner turned out to be more likely a middleman.
During their captivity, the crew sent emotional video and audio appeals saying they had run out of clean water, food and medicine. Their families launched an international appeal to foreign governments, the United Nations and the International Maritime Organisation for coordinated action. Last month, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar pressed the IMO chief for urgent institutional intervention to secure the sailors’ return.
Somali piracy has resurfaced in recent years, with at least 15 attacks since April, the highest number since 2013.
Frequently asked questions
Which ship was recovered from Somali pirates?
The Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25, hijacked in April with 19 crew on board, including 10 Pakistanis. Puntland’s maritime police recovered it in an operation off the coast of Somalia.
How many Pakistanis were killed?
Three Pakistani crew members, named Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari, were among the five crew killed by pirates before the recovery operation began. Four crew were injured, three of them Pakistanis.
What happened to the pirates?
Puntland’s maritime police said 21 suspected pirates were apprehended during the operation, and that efforts to locate the remaining members were continuing.
Where are the surviving crew now?
The Foreign Office said the survivors were brought safely ashore at Bandar Beyla in Puntland. Pakistan’s embassy team in Djibouti is proceeding there to assist the Pakistani nationals.
Why was the rescue not attempted sooner?
Months passed after the April hijacking with no progress in negotiations or ransom payment, reportedly around $3 million. An unclear ownership situation complicated the response, and the Foreign Office says it had stayed actively engaged with Somali authorities and the IMO throughout.
