Pirates threaten to kill Pakistanis captured in Puntland

Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – Somali pirate groups holding the MT Honour 25 vessel, flying the Palau flag, have threatened to kill the crew on board, which includes up to 17 crew members, 10 of whom are Pakistani.

The families of the seafarers have appeared in the media stating they have lost contact with their sons, as new concerns arise regarding the safety of the crew accompanying the vessel, which was seized on April 21 off the coast of Puntland, Somalia.

The situation of the crew is currently alarming, and the pirates have threatened to kill them if security forces attempt a rescue by force, according to reports from Arab News.

Additionally, messages and images sent by the captain of the vessel, named Ashari Samadikun, have been received, showing that the crew has been threatened with weapons and that they are in a state of fear and anxiety.

On the other hand, the Ansar Burney Trust International, which is in contact with the crew of the vessel, has stated that the pirates have demanded a ransom of 1.9 million dollars to release the crew and the vessel, with this demand shared with the government of Pakistan.

These threats come at a time when on Friday, the Puntland maritime forces rescued 20 crew members from the SIBU 1 vessel, which had also been previously hijacked by pirates.

Days ago, the foreign ministries of Somalia and Pakistan held telephone discussions regarding the situation of Pakistani citizens on board the MT Honour 25, with Pakistan requesting Somalia's assistance in rescuing its citizens.

However, it was last April that pirates seized up to three vessels, two of which are the Honour 25 from Palau and the Eureka from Togo, which were carrying fuel and then hijacked, and were directed towards the Puntland coast.