Hijacked Honour 25 vessel attacked in Somalia, Pakistani crew members killed

KARACHI: Five crew members, including three Pakistanis, were killed and four others injured after Puntland Security Force attacked the hijacked vessel Honour 25 in Somalia, according to the ship’s crew.

The deceased Pakistanis were identified as Second Officer Kashif Umar, Third Engineer Mahmood Ansari and Oiler Rafiullah Khan. An Indian crew member, Tanveer, and the Myanmar chief engineer were also killed in the attack.

The vessel is carrying 10 Pakistani crew members along with Indian, Myanmar and Indonesian nationals.

Speaking to an Ansar Burney Trust representative in a conversation obtained by ARY News, the Indonesian captain confirmed the deaths of five crew members.

The ship’s Second Engineer Hussain Yousuf told ARY News that four crew members were injured. They include Fourth Engineer Usman, Aqeel, Ameen and an Indonesian crew member.

Yousuf said the ship’s steering system had been damaged and the vessel was being towed by another ship.

He said the bodies were lying in the sun and the injured crew members were still aboard the vessel without medical assistance.

“We need an immediate helicopter to transfer the injured and the bodies,” Yousuf said, urging the government to take immediate action.

He added that contact with their families had been cut off and the vessel was being taken to Vassaco, a journey that would take three days.

Back in April, a video emerged showing Pakistani crew members held in cramped and deteriorating conditions aboard the hijacked oil tanker Honour 25 off the coast of Somalia.

According to reports, around a dozen individuals were confined in a small room on the vessel, including 11 Pakistani nationals, some of whom are residents of Karachi. The footage highlighted the difficult conditions faced by the hostages, sparking concern among their families.

The tanker was hijacked by armed pirates near the Somali coast on April 21. Security officials said the vessel was seized by six gunmen approximately 30 nautical miles offshore. The ship was carrying a total of 17 crew members, including a captain of Indonesian nationality and 11 Pakistanis.

Family members of the hostages expressed deep distress. Among those on board is Second Engineer Syed Hussain, who had departed from Karachi in January. His family says they have had no contact with him since April 21.