Overview
- The Palau-flagged tanker MT Honour 25 was seized on April 21, 2026, about 30 nautical miles off Puntland with 17 crew aboard, including 10 Pakistani nationals.
- Three Pakistani crew members flew from Addis Ababa to Karachi on Wednesday and were received at Jinnah International Airport by provincial leaders and their families.
- Earlier this week four injured crew and the mortal remains of three Pakistani sailors were repatriated to Karachi on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 694 for medical care and funeral rites.
- Puntland officials say a late-September operation freed the tanker and detained 16 suspected pirates, while survivors and civilian groups say pirates opened fire as they fled, leaving five crew dead and several wounded.
- The case highlights a surge in attacks off Somalia this year and is likely to intensify pressure for coordinated maritime security, clearer transfer and detention procedures, and stronger protections for seafarers.