Pakistan mourns the death of 3 civilians in tanker operation in Somalia.
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has expressed deep sorrow over the death of three of its nationals during an operation to recover the oil tanker MT Honor 25 seized by Somali pirates in April.
The Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that five crew members were killed during an operation to recover a hijacked ship off the coast of Somalia. Among the dead were three Pakistani nationals identified as Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umar and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari.
The Palau-flagged tanker was carrying 19 crew members, including 10 Pakistanis, when it was captured by pirates.
According to the FO, four crew members were injured during the operation, out of which three were Pakistani nationals. The injured crew members have been shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The rest of the crew were brought ashore safely in Bandar Bela, a town in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region.
The Foreign Office said a team from the Pakistani embassy in Djibouti was on its way to Bandar Bela to provide assistance to Pakistani nationals.
PR number 2⃣6⃣9⃣/2⃣0⃣2⃣6⃣
Pakistan condoles the loss of life during recovery of MT Honor 25.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 30, 2026
It added that the Pakistani authorities remained in touch with the Somali authorities and other relevant stakeholders through diplomatic missions and related institutions.
The FO said that efforts are on to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured, arrangements for repatriation of the remains of the dead crew members and safe return of the surviving Pakistani sailors.
Puntland forces recovered the hijacked tanker.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force said its naval and land units carried out a planned operation. District Bandar Bela area Dharin Bar on Tuesday.
In a subsequent statement, the force said the operation had been completed and the recovered tanker was under the control of the Puntland government.
Authorities also reported an arrest. 21 suspected piratesWhile efforts were on to find other suspected members of the pirate gang.
The crew had appealed for help.
MT Honor remained in the hands of pirates for several months after its capture in April 25, with little progress reportedly made in negotiations for the release of the crew.
A ransom of about $3 million was reportedly demanded for the hostages’ release.
Crews had earlier issued audio and video appeals describing the lack of essential supplies, including clean drinking water, food and medicine.
Their families then appealed to foreign governments, the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to intervene and help secure the sailors’ release.
The Foreign Office has repeatedly said it is actively working to secure staff independence.
Last month, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the IMO leadership to take immediate institutional steps to help secure the return of Pakistani sailors.
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The Ansar Birni Trust, which was also involved in efforts to resolve the hostage situation, said the IMO had contacted the organization after the rescue operation.
The Trust said the IMO has assured support in repatriating the remains of the injured crew members and the deceased to their respective countries.
The organization said it is in contact with authorities, international organizations and staff and is continuing efforts to assist in the repatriation process.
Somali piracy has also shown signs of returning as a security concern, with at least 15 attacks reported since April, the highest number recorded since 2013.
The post Pakistan mourns 3 civilians killed in tanker operation in Somalia appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.
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