Somali police rescue oil tanker with Pakistani crew from pirates

Somali maritime police have rescued the hijacked oil tanker Honour 25 and its 17-member crew, including at least 10 Pakistanis, authorities said Tuesday. The crew had been held by Somali pirates off Somalia's coast for months. Pakistani authorities have made no official announcement about the rescue as yet.

Did Somali pirates hijack the Honour 25 tanker?

Yes. Armed Somali pirates seized the Palau-flagged tanker on April 21, about 30 nautical miles off Puntland. The vessel was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil, according to Puntland police. The pirates demanded a $3 million ransom for the crew's release.

The Ansar Burney Trust said it received the demand through WhatsApp on May 18 from the group's leader. That was nearly four weeks after the hijacking.

How did Somali police rescue the Honour 25?

Maritime Police Force personnel from Puntland, the semi-autonomous region in northern Somalia, stormed the tanker during an operation in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district. Police described the raid as planned and said naval and ground units took part.

"The naval and ground units of the Puntland Maritime Police Force conducted a planned operation in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district," police said in a statement.

What were conditions like for the crew on board?

Relatives and rights groups reported dire conditions aboard the Honour 25. Crew members faced severe shortages of clean drinking water and were reportedly forced to survive on contaminated tank water and one meal of boiled rice a day. Several hostages were also said to be suffering from stress-related illnesses and lacked access to essential medication.

Families of the Pakistani crew members in Karachi staged repeated demonstrations, urging authorities to intensify diplomatic and rescue efforts. A previously released video showed all 17 crew members appearing visibly distressed. Children of some crew members have experienced anxiety and panic attacks since the hijacking.

The rescue brings relief to the families after more than five months of uncertainty over the fate of the crew and the vessel.

Are Somali pirates still attacking ships?

Somali piracy has shown signs of resurgence, with at least 15 attacks reported since April, the highest number since 2013. Puntland authorities have faced criticism over their response to a new pirate network active in the region this year.

Security forces have been pursuing three hijacked vessels off the Somali coast in recent days. They rescued another oil tanker, the Sibu 1, on Friday. However, 28 of 41 pirates arrested during that operation later escaped while being transferred to jail. Several Puntland security officials accused local police of complicity in the escape.