Pirates kill five crew members at sea
Armed pirates executed five sailors aboard the seized product tanker Honour 25 prior to the Puntland Maritime Police Force regaining control of the ship and its surviving crew members. The vessel was seized near Somalia’s shores on 21 April by six gunmen, who had taken control of the ship carrying 17 crew and 18,500 barrels of oil.
According to the Puntland Maritime Police Force, the fatalities included three Pakistani nationals, one Myanmar national, and one Indian national. Additionally, three Pakistani and one Indian national suffered injuries during the attack. The authorities now have full custody of the vessel.
Pirate Suspects Captured
Security forces detained 16 pirates during the operation, while others escaped inland toward the coast, the police confirmed. Authorities are actively pursuing the fugitives.
The successful retrieval of Honour 25 marks the latest success in Puntland’s broader campaign to dismantle pirate networks along its coastline. Just days earlier, the force reported the safe recovery of the Sibu 1 (also known as Seamull), along with its crew and cargo.
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Recent Maritime Incidents
The product tanker Eureka was hijacked on 2 May 2026 while docked at Qana Port, Yemen, but was later recovered after pirates abandoned the grounded vessel. At its height, pirate control reached six ships following the seizure of Sibu 1, though the number has since declined significantly over the past month.
The mini bulker Lutuf, seized on 17 August, was released on 31 August as verified by EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atlanta. Similarly, the Sward, hijacked on 26 April, was confirmed freed on 11 September by JMIC, with reports that the crew remained “well.” After accounting for recovered and released vessels, only the Asana, a product/chemical tanker hijacked on 17 July, remains under pirate control in Somalia.
On 29 September, the Puntland Navy initiated new security measures to protect coastal areas, issuing stern warnings to pirates and urging civilians to cooperate with authorities to disrupt pirate operations. These efforts aim to curb ongoing threats in the region.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force continues its efforts to stabilize maritime security along the coastline, achieving notable successes in recent operations. The number of vessels under pirate control has fallen sharply as a result of their intensified crackdown.
