KARACHI: Families of Pakistani seafarers are urgently demanding government action after an oil tanker, MT Honour 25, was hijacked by Somali pirates off the Puntland region on April 21. The vessel carries 17 crew members, including 10 Pakistanis, who have been held captive for 23 days under worsening conditions, according to relatives speaking from Karachi.
In Karachi, Ambreen Fatima and other families staged a protest near the Karachi Port Trust Native Jetty Bridge, holding placards and calling for immediate rescue. Fatima said her husband, Syed Hussain Yousuf, a second engineer on the tanker, has been surviving on dirty tank water and limited food. She added that stress has severely affected her children, with her daughter hospitalised and her teenage son struggling to focus on exams while constantly worried about his father.
Crew members reportedly managed brief video calls, revealing deteriorating conditions aboard the vessel, including lack of clean drinking water and dependence on boiled rice once a day. Families say communication is rare and distressing, leaving them uncertain about the safety of their loved ones as piracy incidents rise again along key shipping routes in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry has stated it is coordinating with the ship owner, Somali authorities, and international maritime agencies. Officials confirmed that an embassy team visited Djibouti and was informed that hostages are safe, but direct rescue is complicated due to the vessel carrying flammable cargo. Maritime security experts warn that hijackings off Somalia’s coast are increasing again in 2026, raising concerns for global trade and Pakistan seafarer safety.
Families continue to appeal for urgent intervention as uncertainty grows over negotiations with pirates. They fear prolonged captivity may further endanger the crew’s health and psychological well-being while hoping for a safe return.
The incident highlights growing maritime security risks in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, where Somalia piracy resurgence is threatening international shipping lanes. Analysts say Pakistan seafarers remain vulnerable as global shipping routes face instability. Calls for stronger naval patrols, coordinated rescue operations, and improved protection for Pakistani maritime workers are increasing across Pakistan.
