Somali forces recover oil tanker carrying Pakistani crewmen over 5 months after hijacking by pirates

Somali forces recover oil tanker carrying Pakistani crewmen over 5 months after hijacking by pirates.

Key points

• News DeskShazia Hasan Published September 29, 2026 Updated September 30, 2026 01: 00am.
• The Honour 25 – a Palau-flagged oil tanker – had 19 crew members on board, including 10 Pakistanis.
• Somali piracy has seen a resurgence, with at least 15 attacks since April, the highest since 2013.
• Apart from Pakistanis, the vessel's crew additionally included seven Indonesians, an Indian and a Sri Lankan.
• Ayesha Ameen, the wife of a fitter on the ship, informed Dawn between sobs that there were reports of casualties among Pakistanis on the ship.

News DeskShazia Hasan Published September 29, 2026 Updated September 30, 2026 01: 00am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

KARACHI: Somali maritime police remarked on Tuesday that they had recovered the MT Honour 25 – an oil tanker hijacked by armed pirates off the coast of Puntland on April 21 – against the backdrop of reports of casualties among the crew.

Meanwhile, the Honour 25 – a Palau-flagged oil tanker – had 19 crew members on board, including 10 Pakistanis.

"The naval and ground units of the Puntland Maritime Police Force conducted a planned operation in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district, " the maritime police remarked in its initial statement.

In another late-night statement, it confirmed that the operation had concluded and the recovered vessel "is now safe and under the Puntland government's control".

While operations to locate the remaining members continue, during the operation, it remarked, 21 suspected pirates were apprehended.

Reuters earlier documented, citing Puntland's state television, that the detained pirates would be brought to court.

No further details of the operation were available from any of the official sources.

Dawn contacted the Foreign Office (FO) for further information, but there was no immediate response.

Meanwhile, Ayesha Ameen, the wife of a fitter on the ship, informed Dawn between sobs that there were reports of casualties among Pakistanis on the ship.

According to She, they were not able to confirm the names of the deceased yet, but her husband, Ameen Bin Shams, was reportedly among the injured. "We don't know how bad the injuries are, " she remarked.

We are trying to establish contact with the ship's captain on the numbers that we have. But our calls are not being answered.

As are the injured, "As far as we know, the bodies are still on the ship. There is no one to tell us if they will be moved. We are going mad here, " she continued.

Initial reports attributed to the crew suggest that there have been five deaths and four individuals have been injured.

After its hijacking in April, months had passed with no progress either in negotiations or the payment of the ransom, remarked to be around $3 million, for the recovery of the hostages.

As it was not clearly established who owned the ship – the man previously thought to be an owner was afterwards made public to be more probable a middleman who hired them, the hostages were remarked to be victims of an "ownership crisis".

Since its hijack, the crew had created a number of emotional videos and audio appeals, reporting that they had run out of clean water, food and medicine. Meanwhile, their families introduced an international appeal, calling on foreign governments, the United Nations (UN) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to take coordinated action to assist secure the release of their loved ones.

For its part, the FO maintained that it remained "actively engaged" to secure the release of the sailors.

Last month, in a session with the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) head, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar pressed for "urgent and effective institutional intervention" for the return of the Pakistani sailors.

Notably, the pirates had additionally contacted humanitarian Ansar Burney. This person had additionally tried to support in resolving the matter.

Ansar Burney – a former human rights minister – is the chairman of the Ansar Burney Trust, a non-profit human rights organisation working in all areas of human and civil rights worldwide. He has previously participated in efforts to free Pakistanis captured by Somali pirates.

After Tuesday's operation, the Ansar Burney Trust remarked in an official note that the IMO had contacted it and ensured of cooperation for the return of the injured crew and bodies to their home countries.

It remarked it was in contact with relevant authorities, international institutions and the vessel's crew and was making continued efforts for the return of the injured and the bodies.

Somali piracy has seen a resurgence, with at least 15 attacks since April, the highest since 2013. Extra input from AFP.

Shazia Hasan is a senior staff reporter for Dawn. Her reporting covers human interest stories, the armed forces, Railways, education, and fishing communities.

Taken together, the developments around somali forces recover oil tanker carrying Pakistani crewmen over 5 months after point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.