Somali pirates killed five crew members on hijacked tanker, officials say
The deaths appear to be the first at the hands of Somali pirates in more than a decade.
Somali pirates murdered five crew members aboard the hijacked tanker, MT Honour 25, before it was saved by security forces, according to Puntland authorities. The incident marks the first piracy-related deaths in the region for over a decade. The tanker, which had 17 crew members, was seized by pirates in April during a recent surge in piracy activity, believed to be influenced by the ongoing Iran war and resulting in higher oil prices.
Puntland's information ministry disclosed that a rescue mission successfully liberated the ship and apprehended 16 pirates. However, prior to the operation, the pirates onboard the vessel carried out a deadly attack, killing three Pakistanis, one Myanmar national, and one Indian. Additionally, four crew members - three Pakistanis and one Indian - sustained injuries.
This rescue follows another successful mission last week, when Puntland's maritime police force freed the US-sanctioned tanker Sibu 1, which had been captured by Somali pirates in August. The region experienced a significant piracy wave between 2008 and 2014, disrupting a major shipping lane, causing billions of dollars in economic losses, and leading to millions in ransom payments.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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