Three Pakistanis among five crew killed in Somali forces operation to free Honour 25 hostages

MOGADISHU: Somali forces have freed the product tanker Honour 25 after the vessel was held by pirates for nearly five months, with five crew members reportedly killed during the operation.

The confirmation of the casualties was made by the captain of the ship while talking to a representative of Ansar Burney Trust.

The operation was carried out by the Puntland Maritime Police Force in northern Somalia. Officers raided the Palau-flagged MT Honour 25 in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district.

The deceased crew members included three Pakistani nationals, one Indian and one Myanmar national. The Pakistani crew members were identified as Second Officer Kashif Umar, Third Engineer Mehmood Ansari and Rafi Ullah.

The Indian crew member was identified as Tanveer, while the vessel’s chief engineer, a Myanmar national, was also among those killed.

Four other people were reportedly injured during the operation, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Somali maritime police confirmed they rescued 17 crew members from an oil tanker.

The tanker was hijacked in April and remained in the hands of Somali pirates for nearly five months, making it one of the longest-running piracy incidents linked to the recent resurgence in pirate activity off the Somali coast.