Somali Pirates Kill Five Crew Members on Hijacked Tanker, Officials Say

Somali pirates killed five crew members aboard a hijacked oil tanker before Puntland security forces launched an operation to retake the vessel and arrest suspected pirates, officials said on Wednesday. The incident marks a deadly escalation in piracy activity off the Somali coast after years of relative decline.

The tanker, identified as MT Honour 25, was carrying around 18,500 barrels of oil when it was seized by pirates on April 21. The vessel had remained under their control until Puntland maritime security forces moved against it. Five members of the crew were killed during the hijacking, according to Puntland authorities. The victims included three Pakistani nationals, one Myanmar national and one Indian national. Four other crew members were injured in the incident.

Puntland security forces subsequently regained control of the tanker and detained 16 suspected pirates. Officials said efforts were continuing to identify and locate other individuals allegedly involved in the hijacking.

The death of the crew members is significant because it is reportedly the first known instance in more than a decade in which Somali pirates have killed hostages during a maritime hijacking. The incident has raised fresh concerns over the resurgence of piracy in waters off Somalia. The renewed activity comes after a period in which international naval patrols and increased security measures had sharply reduced Somali piracy. However, authorities have reported a rise in attacks in recent months, with at least 15 incidents recorded since April.

The Indian Embassy in Kenya expressed condolences following the death of the Indian crew member and said Indian seafarers involved in other recently rescued vessels were safe. The latest incident comes shortly after another tanker, Sibu 1, was rescued in a separate operation. Several suspected pirates were arrested following that operation, although reports said many later escaped while being transferred to prison.

The incident has also renewed concerns about the safety of commercial shipping routes passing through waters near Somalia, where piracy had previously posed a major threat to international maritime trade.