Four Indonesian seamen return home after Somali pirate ordeal

Four Indonesian seamen who were held hostage by Somali pirates for over five months had returned home on Tuesday, according to an AFP reporter. They were among 17 crew members rescued from the oil tanker, MT Honour 25, which had been seized in April by pirates operating from Somalia. The pirates had killed five crew members prior to being thwarted in recapturing the vessel.

Upon their return, the four men were greeted at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by their families and officials, including the country's Foreign Minister, Arrmanatha Nasir. The minister expressed gratitude to the ship's Indonesian captain, Ashari Samadikun, for his role in ensuring the safety of the surviving crew.

Ashari himself apologized for the deaths of his five deceased crew members, stating that he could not fulfill his promise to bring all of his crew back safely. The tanker, which was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil, had 16 pirates detained during the rescue operation, while the rest either surrendered or fled inland. Somali piracy has experienced a resurgence, with at least 15 attacks reported since April, the highest number since 2013.

Puntland police, responsible for combating piracy in the region, have faced criticism for their inability to prevent the recent pirate attacks. Despite rescuing another oil tanker, the Sibu 1, earlier this year, several pirates managed to escape during the transfer process. In another incident, pirates hijacked the MT Eureka, but were forced to run the vessel aground before being forced to abandon it and escape on shore, with all crew members later confirmed safe.