FO expresses condolences over deaths of five crew members in Somalia rescue operation
Says govt making 'every possible effort' to bring bodies of three deceased Pakistani nationals home
The Foreign Office (FO) conveyed its deepest condolences on Wednesday for the loss of five crew members in the rescue operation aimed at recovering the hijacked vessel MT Honour 25 off Somalia's coast. The FO highlighted that three of the deceased were Pakistani nationals, specifically Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer, and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari.
The government is striving to provide medical assistance to the three injured Pakistani crew members and ensure their bodies are repatriated to Pakistan. The injured sailors have been admitted to a nearby hospital and are receiving medical care. Four other crew members sustained injuries, three of whom were also Pakistani nationals.
These individuals have been transported safely to a hospital for treatment. The surviving crew members were successfully brought ashore at Bandar Beyla. Pakistan's embassy in Djibouti is coordinating with local authorities to assist the injured and deceased crew members' families. The government, through its mission and relevant authorities, is in constant communication with Somali authorities and other stakeholders to facilitate proper medical care, repatriation of remains, and the safe return of the surviving crew.
The oil tanker MT Honour 25, sailing under the Somali flag from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked by pirates on April 21. The vessel, which had 17 crew members on board, including 10 Pakistanis, an Indian, and a Myanmar national, was targeted by pirates seeking ransom ranging from $3 million to $1 million. The pirates eventually opened fire on the captured crew as they attempted to flee the ship, leading to the fatalities.
The injured crew members from Indonesia, Usman, Yasir, Ameen, and Vicky, were also rescued. Surviving Pakistani crew members, Hussain Yousuf and Imran Ali, reached out to a human rights organization in Karachi via the ship's captain's mobile phone to provide details of the incident. The Gulf of Aden and the Somali coast have experienced a surge in piracy since April, with at least 15 attacks reported this year, the highest since 2013.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
