KARACHI: Five people, including three Pakistani nationals, were killed and five others injured when Puntland security forces stormed the hijacked oil vessel MT Honour 25 off Somalia, ending a hostage ordeal that lasted five months and eight days.
The Pakistani nationals killed were identified as Second Officer Kashif Umar, Rafiullah and Mahmood Ansari. Their deaths were confirmed by their families in Karachi, who appealed for the immediate repatriation of the bodies.
Second Engineer Syed Hussain Yousuf told the Ansar Burney Trust by phone that five people, including the three Pakistanis, were killed in the firing, while five others were wounded. The Trust and the families later released pictures of the bodies and injured crew members.
Ansar Burney, head of the Ansar Burney Trust International, expressed grief over the deaths and said authorities had repeatedly been informed about the critical condition of the hostages and threats to their lives.
“Today, mourning has entered their homes, but sadly, no one listened to us,” he said, adding that the Trust had repeatedly warned that the lives of the hostages were in danger.
Burney said the families had also continued to appeal for help but their concerns had not received the seriousness they deserved. He urged authorities to ensure the safe return of the injured and prompt repatriation of the bodies.
According to the Trust, the International Maritime Organization has contacted it regarding the incident and assured it of necessary measures and cooperation to facilitate the return of the injured crew members and repatriation of the bodies to their respective countries.
The Trust said it remained in contact with the crew, relevant authorities and international organisations.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also expressed grief over the deaths, describing the killing of crew members from Karachi during the operation by Somali forces as tragic.
He directed the Foreign Office to immediately obtain details of the Pakistanis killed, including those from Karachi and other areas. He also urged the federal government to take immediate steps to bring the bodies to Karachi and the victims’ native areas and ensure the safety of Pakistani crew members still in Somalia.
The family of Kashif Umar, a resident of Buffer Zone, has appealed to the government to bring his body home without delay.
Speaking to the media, Umar’s son said the family had waited five months since the ship was hijacked and claimed that no one had contacted them during that period.
“We have been left helpless on the streets,” he said, appealing to the authorities to bring his father’s body back home.
The family also called for immediate medical assistance for the injured crew and urged authorities to arrange helicopters or airlift facilities if necessary to bring back the bodies and wounded.
MT Honour 25 departed the international port of Mogadishu on April 21, 2026, carrying more than 18,000 barrels of oil. Somali pirates attacked the vessel as it reached the Puntland region and took the crew hostage.
There were 17 crew members aboard, including 10 Pakistanis. The remaining crew members were from Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka.
Relatives of the Pakistani hostages had launched efforts to secure their release, holding press conferences and staging protests, including demonstrations at Numaish Chowrangi and Shahrah-e-Faisal on September 6 and 7.
On September 28, the Ansar Burney Trust received a new photograph and message from the ship’s captain, who appealed to Turkish and Puntland authorities to ensure the crew’s safety before taking any action against the vessel.
In an audio message, Kashif Umar said the situation aboard the vessel had become extremely critical.
Puntland security forces subsequently launched the operation and rescued the hostages from the pirates.
The Ansar Burney Trust said it was continuing to coordinate with the crew, authorities and international organisations to facilitate the return of the injured and repatriation of the deceased.