The Puntland Information Ministry says pirates killed five crew members aboard the Palau-flagged tanker MT Honour 25, which was seized on April 21 and later freed by regional forces. Victims included three Pakistani nationals, one person from Myanmar and one Indian; four others were injured. Authorities detained 16 suspected pirates as investigations continue amid a broader resurgence of attacks off Somalia.
Somali Pirates Kill Five Crew Members on Hijacked Tanker; Puntland Forces Free Vessel
Families of the Pakistani hostage crew members of the oil tanker Honour 25, which was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, hold placards during a protest calling on the government to take immediate action for the safe return of their loved ones, in Karachi, Pakistan, May 13, 2026 [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]
Somali authorities say pirates killed five crew members aboard the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25 after seizing the vessel off Somalia on April 21. Puntland security forces later mounted a rescue operation that freed the ship and took suspects into custody, the regional government said.
The Information Ministry of Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, announced the deaths on Tuesday. The ministry said the tanker was carrying about 18,500 barrels of oil when it was captured.
Before the operation began, the pirates on board the ship killed five members of the crew, the ministry said.
Authorities identified the deceased as three Pakistani nationals, one crew member from Myanmar and one from India. Four additional crew members were wounded—three Pakistanis and one Indian—and are receiving medical attention, the ministry said.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force said in a social media post that the vessel is now “safe” and under government control. Officials said a rescue mission detained 16 suspected pirates and that investigations and efforts to track down other suspects are ongoing.
This rescue follows another recent operation in which Puntland forces recovered the Sibu 1, a tanker previously seized by pirates. Officials reported that 28 of the 41 suspects arrested in that operation escaped while being transferred to jail, and several Puntland security officials have alleged local police complicity in the escape.
Somali authorities report at least 15 attacks off the country’s coast since April. Analysts note the current surge echoes a previous piracy wave from 2008 to 2014 that disrupted major shipping lanes, cost the global economy billions of dollars and led to hundreds of millions in ransom payments. Some experts have linked the recent uptick to broader regional tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, though piracy drivers remain complex and include economic and governance issues.
What remains uncertain: independent verification of the full chain of events aboard the MT Honour 25, the identities of all those responsible, and the outcomes of prosecutions for the detained suspects. Puntland officials say the investigation is ongoing.
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