Four of the ten Pakistani crew members aboard the MV Honour 25, which was hijacked off the coast of Somalia, have been safely rescued and are expected to arrive in Karachi on Saturday, announced Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday.
Dar confirmed that the four rescued crew—Yasir Khan, Aqeel Khan, Amin bin Shams, and Usman Ghani—were recovered through coordinated efforts by Pakistan’s foreign ministry and its embassy in Djibouti. He also revealed that the mortal remains of three Pakistani crew members—Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer, and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari—who lost their lives during the ordeal are being brought back to Pakistan.
Expressing deep sympathy, Dar extended condolences to the families affected by the tragic loss during the recovery operation involving the hijacked MT Honour 25. Earlier this week, Puntland’s information ministry reported that local forces had successfully liberated the tanker and apprehended 16 pirates involved in the hijacking. Unfortunately, prior to the rescue, the pirates had killed five crew members, including three Pakistanis, one from Myanmar, and one from India.
The Palau-flagged tanker was seized on April 21, roughly 30 nautical miles off Puntland’s coast, with 17 crew members onboard, among them 10 Pakistani nationals. Meanwhile, Dar noted that all legal and procedural formalities are being expedited to facilitate the swift repatriation of the rescued crew and the deceased.
He further stated that three other Pakistani crew members—Imran Ali, Yasin Muhammad, and Syed Yousuf Hussain—remain on the vessel along with the captain. Efforts are underway in collaboration with allied nations to ensure their safe extraction and prompt return to Pakistan.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the foreign ministry remains committed to securing the safe return of all Pakistani nationals involved in this incident, including the repatriation of the deceased. Dar pledged continued support to the families affected by this crisis.
