KARACHI, October 5, 2026: Seven Pakistani crew members of the hijacked oil tanker MT Honour 25 have been rescued after spending more than five months in captivity by Somali pirates.
Four injured Pakistani sailors arrived in Karachi on Sunday, while the remains of three sailors who were killed during the incident were also brought home. The injured sailors were taken to hospital for medical treatment.
The remaining three Pakistani crew members were rescued on Monday and flown to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. According to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, they are expected to travel to Karachi on the first available Ethiopian Airlines flight, likely on October 7.
The MT Honour 25, a Palau-flagged oil tanker, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia in April. The vessel had 10 Pakistani crew members among its crew.
Somali maritime forces recovered the tanker on September 29 after more than five months of captivity. Three Pakistani sailors, Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari, were killed during the operation.
The Sindh government has said it will cover the medical treatment and care of the injured sailors. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also announced financial assistance and housing support for the families of the deceased sailors.
