Puntland Forces Rescue Hijacked Tanker MT Honour 25 From Pirates
Pirates who held the Palau-flagged tanker since April have been detained and will be taken to court, state television reported.
MOGADISHU – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – Security forces from Puntland, the semi-autonomous state in Somalia, have rescued the hijacked oil tanker MT Honour 25. The news came from Puntland’s state television channel on Tuesday.
The Palau-flagged tanker carries petroleum products. Pirates seized it in April and held it for months.
The broadcaster said the pirates who held the ship have been detained. They will now be brought to court.
Puntland officials did not reply to requests for comment. Other details of the rescue, including how it was carried out, have not been shared yet.
Seized off the coast
Pirates took control of the MT Honour 25 on April 21. The ship was about 30 nautical miles off the Puntland coast at the time.
There were 17 crew members on board. Ten of them were from Pakistan.
Pakistan’s worry for its sailors
The long captivity of the crew worried many families. Last month, Pakistan asked the International Maritime Organisation for help. It wanted the release and safe return of its 10 seafarers.
Puntland’s announcement now brings hope to those families. Still, no official statement about the crew’s condition has been shared so far.
This is the second such operation in a short time. Last week, the regional maritime police force said it had freed another tanker, the Sibu 1.
The United States has placed sanctions on Sibu 1. Somali pirates hijacked it in August.
Two rescues in seven days suggest that Puntland is stepping up its fight against piracy.
Piracy has returned to Somalia’s coast in recent years. This has raised fresh concern for ships that pass through the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean.
These waters are part of one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Any threat to ships here can affect trade far beyond the region.
Memories of the old wave
Somalia faced a major wave of piracy between 2008 and 2014. It disrupted global shipping and cost the world economy billions of dollars.
Ransom payments in that period reached hundreds of millions of dollars. Many shipping companies and governments do not want to see those days again.
The pirates will face court in Puntland, according to the state broadcaster. The public will now watch how the case moves forward.
Shipping companies will also watch closely. Steady action by Puntland’s forces could make the coast safer for passing vessels.
For now, the rescue of the MT Honour 25 is a welcome step. The next few days should bring more clarity about the crew and the suspects.
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