The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced on Saturday that steps are being taken to bring back the remains of three Pakistani sailors who lost their lives during an operation this week aimed at retrieving a hijacked oil tanker off the coast of Somalia.
On Tuesday, the maritime police of Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia, reported the recovery of the MT Honour 25, a Palau-flagged vessel with a crew of 19, which included ten Pakistanis.
The Foreign Office confirmed on Wednesday the deaths of three Pakistani crew members and noted that three others sustained injuries during the operation. The deceased have been identified as Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer, and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari.
Efforts for Repatriation
The PMO’s statement revealed that the government is making arrangements to repatriate the sailors’ remains in accordance with directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The remains are currently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where Ethiopian Airlines is coordinating the next steps for their transfer. Following this, a flight to Karachi will be arranged with the necessary approvals in place.
The PMO emphasized that the Prime Minister has promised “all possible assistance” to ensure the deceased sailors are brought home swiftly.
Support for Families of Deceased Sailors
In a separate announcement, PM Shehbaz revealed a relief package totaling Rs12.5 million for the families of the deceased sailors. This support will include housing assistance and free education for the children of the sailors.
The Prime Minister also reached out to Azhan Kashif, the son of Syed Kashif Umer, to express his condolences and share in the family’s grief.
Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that four of the ten Pakistani crew members have been successfully rescued and are expected to arrive in Karachi shortly. These crew members—Yasir Khan, Aqeel Khan, Amin bin Shams, and Usman Ghani—were retrieved through ongoing efforts by the Foreign Office and Pakistan’s embassy in Djibouti.
Background on the Hijacking Incident
The MT Honour 25 was seized by Somali pirates on April 21, approximately 30 nautical miles from Puntland’s coast. The crew comprised not only Pakistanis but also seven Indonesians, an Indian, and a Sri Lankan.
Negotiations for the crew’s release had stalled for about five months, with no progress on the ransom, reportedly around $3 million, amidst growing concerns for the hostages’ health.
During this period, the crew had made several distressing video and audio appeals describing their dire conditions, including shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies.
The Foreign Office stated that they remained “actively engaged” in efforts to secure the sailors’ release. On September 29, Somali maritime police successfully recovered the tanker but reported casualties among the crew. A planned operation executed by Puntland’s maritime police led to the capture of 21 suspected pirates while ongoing efforts are being made to locate the remaining crew members.
Before the operation commenced, it was reported that five crew members had been killed by the pirates, including three Pakistanis, one from Myanmar, and one from India.
