The Palau‑flagged MT Honour 25 was seized by Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) forces off the coast of Dharin‑baar, Bandar Beyla District, early Tuesday after pirates aboard the hijacked tanker killed three Pakistani crew members, an Indian sailor and a Myanmar national. The vessel, carrying 18,500 barrels of fuel destined for Mogadishu, had been hijacked on April 21 and was carrying 17 crew members at the time of the attack.
PMPF’s statement, posted on its official social media, noted that the operation rescued the tanker and that 16 suspected pirates were apprehended. The force also said that the crew suffered injuries—three Pakistani and one Indian sailor were wounded.
European Union naval force EUNAVFOR had earlier reported that the MT Honour 25 was hijacked while en route to the Somali capital, and that the ship’s crew comprised 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, one Indian, one Sri Lankan and one Myanmar national.
The Puntland authorities said the pirates had initially offered to surrender while concealing the deaths of the crew. They also announced that the operation was aimed at securing the vessel and that efforts to locate any remaining pirates were ongoing.
In a separate incident, Somali pirates released a Togo‑flagged tanker, MT Eureka, after holding it off Puntland’s Karkaar region; 12 crew members—eight Egyptians and four Indians—were handed over unharmed after the pirates set parts of the ship ablaze.
PMPF will continue its search for the remaining pirates and is working with local authorities to ensure the safety of the crew and the integrity of the vessel’s cargo.