Three Pakistani sailors killed as pirates fire on Honour 25 crew off Somalia
KARACHI: Three Pakistani sailors were among five crew members killed after pirates allegedly opened fire on hostages aboard the hijacked oil tanker Honour 25 during a security operation off Somalia, according to survivors and the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust.
Four other crew members were injured in the incident, including three Pakistanis, while several sailors escaped unharmed.
Survivors Hussain Yousuf and Imran Ali contacted the Karachi office of the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust using the vessel captain’s mobile phone and shared details of the attack.
According to their account, Somali and Puntland security forces launched a joint operation on Tuesday to rescue the crew held by the pirates. Fighting broke out between the security forces and the hijackers during the operation.
The survivors alleged that as the pirates came under pressure and prepared to abandon the vessel, they fired indiscriminately at the captive crew before fleeing.
Ansar Burney Trust Director Advocate Qurat-ul-Ain said the incident occurred at sea, a considerable distance from the coast.
She said the pirates damaged the Honour 25’s steering system before leaving, making the vessel unable to navigate independently. A Somali naval vessel was subsequently towing the tanker towards shore, a journey expected to take about two days.
According to the trust, the Pakistani sailors killed were Second Officer Kashif Umar, Third Engineer Mahmood Ansari and boiler crew member Rafiullah. An Indian sailor identified as Tanveer and the vessel’s chief engineer, a Myanmar national, were also reported killed.
The injured sailors were identified as Usman, Aqeel, Ameen and Vicky, an Indonesian national. Yasir Khan, Hussain Yousuf, Imran Ali and Yaseen were reported safe.
The trust said Pakistani authorities had been informed about the latest developments.
The Honour 25, a Somali-flagged oil tanker, was hijacked in April while sailing from Oman towards Somalia. The vessel had 17 crew members aboard, including 10 Pakistani nationals.
Families of the Pakistani sailors had been seeking government intervention for months for the safe recovery of their relatives.
During the captivity, the pirates reportedly made several ransom demands. According to information provided by those involved in efforts to secure the crew’s release, the initial demand of $3 million was subsequently reduced.
Piracy has remained a security concern around the Somali coast and the Gulf of Aden, posing risks to commercial vessels and their crews travelling through the strategically important maritime route.
The deaths of the sailors mark a tragic end to months of uncertainty for some of the families awaiting the return of crew members held aboard the vessel.