KARACHI, May 14 — Families of ten Pakistani sailors gathered in Karachi on Wednesday to demand the government rescue their loved ones, who have been held hostage by Somali pirates for 25 days. The oil tanker, MT Honour 25, was hijacked on April 21 near Somalia. The families say the crew is in terrible condition, with very little food and no clean water. Children of the hostages joined the protest, holding signs and asking for their fathers to be brought home safely.
Families of 10 Pakistani crew members from the Honour 25 rallied in Karachi to demand their release after more than three weeks in Somali pirate captivity.
Hijackings off the coast of Somalia are surging amid regional instability from the US-Israeli war on Iran. pic.twitter.com/XNEmv8mOzm
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 14, 2026
Quick Facts
- The MT Honour 25 was seized on April 21 with 10 Pakistani crew members on board.
- The sailors have been held for over three weeks in the Puntland region of Somalia.
- Hostages are reportedly drinking dirty tank water and eating only one meal of boiled rice a day.
- The pirates are negotiating with the ship’s owner, not the Pakistani government.
- Pakistan’s embassy confirmed the crew is safe but said a rescue mission is risky due to the ship’s flammable cargo.
- Pirate attacks have increased recently because the Iran war has forced more ships into these dangerous waters.
The situation is taking a heavy toll on the families at home. One wife, Ambreen Fatima, shared that her teenage son is struggling to focus on his exams, while her daughter was hospitalized due to extreme stress. When the pirates allowed a short video call last week, families noted that the sailors looked weak and unwell. Because the ship is carrying oil products, Somali authorities are afraid to use force to retake the vessel, fearing a massive explosion or fire.
This rise in piracy is linked to the broader conflict in the Middle East. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed due to the Iran war, ships are forced to take routes that bring them closer to the Somali coast. This has given pirate gangs a new chance to attack international shipping. While the Pakistani government says it is staying in touch with Somali officials, the families feel left in the dark. They are calling on the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to take more direct action before the health of the crew gets any worse.
