Somali maritime police recover hijacked oil tanker, rescue 17 crew members

Somali maritime police announced on Tuesday that they had recovered the oil tanker MT Honour 25, which had been hijacked by pirates off the coast of Puntland, Somalia, five months prior to the statement on April 21, 2026. The Honour 25, a Palau-flagged vessel, carried 17 crew members, comprising 10 Pakistanis. A statement from the Puntland Maritime Police Force explained that naval and ground units conducted a planned operation in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district to retrieve the vessel.

Dawn, a news outlet, contacted the Foreign Office for a comment on the matter. Ayesha Ameen, the wife of a ship fitter, shared her distress with Dawn, revealing reports of casualties among the Pakistani crewmen. She noted that the family could not confirm the exact identities of the deceased but confirmed that her husband, Ameen Bin Shams, was among those injured.

Ameen expressed uncertainty about the severity of the injuries and mentioned that they were attempting to establish contact with the ship's captain using the available phone numbers. However, their calls were not being answered.

The situation remains critical as the bodies and injured crew members are reportedly still on the ship, with no one available to confirm if they will be moved. Ayesha Ameen expressed her frustration and despair, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding the crew's well-being. This ongoing development is being closely monitored and will be updated as new information becomes available.