HighLights
  1. Indian sailor killed by pirates off Somalia coast.
  2. Five crew members died on hijacked MT Honour 25.
  3. Puntland forces recaptured vessel, arrested 16 pirates.

An Indian sailor was among five crew members killed by pirates aboard a hijacked fuel tanker off the coast of Somalia shortly before local security forces successfully recaptured the vessel. The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) on Tuesday confirmed they have retaken control of the ship and apprehended the attackers.

5 Sailors Including Indian Killed

According to reports, also confirmed by the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), the fatalities included three Pakistani nationals, one Indian, and one Myanmar national. The Palau-flagged MT Honour 25, which had been held by pirates since April, is now under the custody of the Puntland government following a successful security operation.

Authorities also arrested 16 suspected pirates during the raid to reclaim the oil tanker. In a major dual breakthrough for regional maritime security, a separate tanker held by Somali pirates was also released on the same day. Announcing the success, the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) wrote on X, “Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) has concluded an operation to secure the MT Honer 25. The vessel is now safe and under Puntland Government control. During the operation, 16 suspected pirates were apprehended, while operations to locate the remaining members continue.”

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NUSI Expresses Grief

While the PMPF has blamed the Somali pirates for the death of crew members, it has not explicitly stated when and how the sailors were killed. Meanwhile, expressing grief over the incident, the NUSI condemned the brutal killing of seafarers and demanded global action.

“The National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) expresses its deepest shock, anguish and unequivocal condemnation of the brutal and heinous killing of 5 innocent seafarers, including one Indian seafarer, by Somali pirates on board the hijacked tanker MT Honour 25,” the union wrote on X.

Ship Hijacked In April

According to EUNAVFOR, the European Union's naval force, the oil tanker was hijacked on April 21, while it was travelling towards Mogadishu, capital of Somalia. The tanker was carrying about 17 crew members along with cargo of oil products. Most of the sailors were Pakistani nationals. A separate report by BBC stated that the crew included 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, one Indian, one Sri Lankan and one Myanmar national.

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