Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker Off Puntland Coast, 17 Seafarers’ Under Hostage
Suspected Somali pirates have seized the oil tanker Honour 25, carrying 18,500 barrels of fuel and 17 multinational crew members, in a bold attack off the Puntland coast.
The incident unfolded late on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, approximately 30 nautical miles from shore as the vessel headed toward Mogadishu.
Six armed pirates boarded initially, followed by five more, before anchoring the ship between Xaafun and Bander Beyla near the Somali coastline. Authorities believe the attackers launched from a pirate haven near Bander Beyla.
The crew includes 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, one Indian, one Sri Lankan, and one Myanmar national, with their status currently unknown. Pakistani maritime officials are leading efforts to secure their release.
The Honour 25, owned by Pakistani interests and locally chartered, left Berbera in Somaliland on February 20, sailed through UAE waters, looped near the Strait of Hormuz, and redirected toward Somalia in early April amid regional fuel shortages.
This seizure signals a resurgence of Somali piracy, dormant since 2011 but fueled by recent ransom successes. No official responses have come from Somali forces or the EU Naval Force, though UK Maritime Trade Operations verified the hijacking and the vessel’s movement into territorial waters.
No ransom demands or injuries have been reported as of now.