KARACHI: Three Pakistani sailors were killed during an operation to free the hijacked oil tanker MT Honor 25 from armed pirates off the coast of Somalia, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.
The ministry identified the deceased as Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umar and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari. Other crew members were injured during the operation, while surviving sailors were later taken safely to Bandar Bile, the ministry said.
The deaths have prompted questions from families of the Pakistani sailors, who say they repeatedly appealed to authorities during the five-month hostage crisis for measures to secure the safe release of their relatives.
Azaan Umar, whose father Syed Kashif Umar was among those killed, said his father had repeatedly told the family during phone calls that the pirates could kill him. He said the family had approached government authorities and staged protests but wanted clearer information about efforts to secure the hostages’ release.
Kashif Umar’s father, Umar Farooq, said his son had worked in the shipping industry for nearly three decades. He claimed the family repeatedly contacted relevant authorities but was generally told that work was being carried out without receiving detailed information about the progress of the case.
Ayesha Amin, whose husband Amin bin Shams was injured in the operation, said her husband had sent a voice message after the hijacking warning his family that the captors might kill the crew. She said affected families subsequently contacted government departments and welfare organisations for assistance.
The families said the pirates initially demanded a ransom of about $3 million, which they claimed was later reduced to approximately $1 million. They said they had preferred negotiations rather than a military operation because of concerns over the safety of the hostages.
Representatives of Ansar Burney International said they had remained in contact with the affected families and passed information received from them and the crew to Pakistani authorities.
According to the organisation, Puntland forces had been positioned near the tanker since September 28 and had warned the pirates to leave the vessel. An attempt to take control of the ship was made on September 29. The organisation said most pirates escaped, while two remained aboard with hostages.
Puntland authorities have previously rejected allegations that their forces helped pirates escape. Puntland’s deputy information minister, Bile Qabusoade, said the hostages had been killed before security forces reached them.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry rejected allegations that the Pakistani government delayed efforts to secure the sailors’ release. He said MT Honor 25 was owned by a Somali company and was not a Pakistani-flagged vessel.
The minister said Pakistani authorities requested diplomatic contact with Somalia after receiving information about the hijacking. He also said an armed operation against pirates aboard an oil tanker carried significant risks.
The Foreign Ministry said a Pakistani embassy team was travelling to Bandar Bile to assist the surviving Pakistani nationals.
The affected families are now calling for the bodies of those killed to be returned to Pakistan with dignity, injured sailors to receive medical treatment and a clear account of the measures taken during the hostage crisis.
