FO confirms deaths of three Pakistanis in Somalia tanker rescue operation
Five crew members killed as pirates reportedly open fire while fleeing vessel
ISLAMABAD: (News Pulse) The Foreign Office on Wednesday expressed deep condolences over the deaths of five crew members, including three Pakistani nationals, during an operation to recover the hijacked oil tanker MT Honour 25 off the coast of Somalia.
In a statement posted on X, the Foreign Office said the three deceased Pakistani nationals had been identified as Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari.
“The government and people of Pakistan extend their deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” the Foreign Office said, adding that it shared their grief and prayed for strength, patience and comfort for the families of the victims.
The Foreign Office said four other crew members were injured during the incident, including three Pakistani nationals. The injured sailors were taken to a nearby hospital and were receiving medical treatment.
The government is making arrangements to ensure proper medical care for the injured Pakistani nationals and facilitate the transportation of the bodies of the deceased Pakistanis to the country, the statement said.
The Foreign Office added that the surviving crew members had been brought safely ashore at Bandar Beyla, while Pakistan’s embassy in Djibouti was sending a team to the area to assist the Pakistani nationals.
“Through its Mission and relevant authorities, the government remains in close contact with the Somali authorities and other concerned stakeholders,” the FO said.
It added that every possible effort was being made to provide medical care to the injured, repatriate the remains of those killed and ensure the safe return of the surviving Pakistani crew members.
MT Honour 25 was carrying 17 crew members
The Somali-flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25, which was sailing from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked by pirates on April 21. The vessel had 17 crew members on board, including 10 Pakistani nationals.
According to reports, the pirates initially demanded a ransom of $3 million for the release of the hostages. The demand was later reduced to $1.9 million and subsequently to $1 million.
The situation turned deadly during the operation to recover the vessel, when the pirates reportedly opened indiscriminate fire on the hostages as they attempted to flee.
Five crew members were killed in the incident, including three Pakistanis. The other deceased crew members were identified as an Indian national, Tanveer, and a chief engineer from Myanmar.
Four sailors were also injured. They included Pakistani nationals identified as Usman, Yasir and Ameen, along with an Indonesian crew member identified as Vicky.
Three other crew members — Hussain Yousuf, Imran Ali and Yaseen — remained safe.
Survivors provide details of attack
Pakistani survivors Hussain Yousuf and Imran Ali later contacted the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust in Karachi using the ship captain’s mobile phone and provided details of the incident, according to the organisation.
The survivors reportedly told a human rights lawyer that the pirates had killed five kidnapped sailors and injured four others while attempting to escape from maritime security forces.
Somalia’s Puntland Maritime Police Force said the tanker had been rescued after the operation, while the pirates managed to escape under unclear circumstances.
The vessel was reportedly carrying around 18,500 barrels of oil when it was hijacked.
Piracy resurges off Somalia
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over the resurgence of piracy in waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.
Figures from the International Maritime Organization indicate that at least 15 piracy attacks have been reported in the region this year, marking the highest number since 2013.
The Pakistani government has said it remains in close coordination with Somali authorities and other relevant stakeholders to ensure medical treatment for the injured, repatriation of the bodies of the deceased Pakistani sailors and the safe return of the surviving Pakistani crew members.
