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Pakistani Families Seek Government Help for Crew Held on Hijacked Tanker Off Somalia
Families of Pakistani sailors aboard the MT Honour 25, hijacked by Somali pirates on April 21, report limited contact with the captives and deteriorating conditions on the vessel. The tanker, carrying oil, is anchored off Puntland, with no confirmed ransom demands. Pakistani officials state they are in communication with Somali authorities to monitor the situation.
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Islamabad, Pakistan - Families of Pakistani crew members held on a hijacked oil tanker off the coast of Somalia are seeking assistance from their government amid limited contact and reports of worsening conditions on board. The MT Honour 25 was seized on April 21, with 10 Pakistani nationals among its 17 crew members.
The families have received brief calls from the captives, but communication has since decreased.
Ayesha Ameen, wife of crew member Ameen bin Shams, said her husband called on April 23 to report the hijacking. He spoke briefly, expressing love for his family, including his three-year-old daughter Zimal and four-month-old son Rahim, whom he has not met.
Ameen bin Shams, 29, joined the vessel on December 9 as a fitter, after years working at a Karachi shipyard. In a later call, he urged Ayesha Ameen to contact organizations to push for government action. She described the family's distress, noting Ameen's excitement about his job before the incident and his contributions to an upcoming wedding.
Muzammil Ahmed Ansari, son of crew member Mehmood Ahmed Ansari, received a voice note from his father three days after the hijacking. Mehmood Ahmed Ansari, 55, has worked at sea for three decades and joined the ship on January 17 as third engineer. The message described armed pirates on board and called for outreach to authorities.
Muzammil Ahmed Ansari said the family remains in uncertainty, with daily concerns about incoming news.
The vessel is operated by Wharf Chartering, an Indonesia-registered company, and owned by a businessman from Puntland, according to Pakistani officials. The ship is anchored off Eyl in Somalia's Puntland region, within territorial waters. A Japanese maritime patrol aircraft confirmed its location, and EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta deployed at least two warships to the area on April 25, which remain nearby.
