Four Pakistani Sailors Return Home After Somali Pirate Captivity
Four Pakistani sailors return home after months in captivity aboard MT Honour 25.
Four Pakistani sailors rescued after more than five months in captivity aboard the hijacked MT Honour 25 are returning to Karachi.
The remains of three Pakistani crew members who died during the ordeal are also travelling to Pakistan.
The four sailors are Yasir Khan, Aqeel Khan, Amin bin Shams and Usman Ghani. They left Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET-694.
The flight is due to reach Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 4:40 p.m. on Sunday.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office helped arrange their return. Officials from Pakistan’s embassies in Ethiopia and Djibouti also assisted the sailors.
Five Months in Captivity
Somali pirates hijacked the Palau-flagged MT Honour 25 off Puntland on April 21.
The tanker carried 17 crew members, including 10 Pakistani nationals.
Puntland maritime forces recovered the vessel on September 29. The operation ended more than five months of captivity.
Five crew members died during the ordeal. Three of them were Pakistani nationals.
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The three Pakistanis were Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmad Ansari.
Four other Pakistani sailors suffered injuries during the incident.
Pakistan Arranges Repatriation
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had earlier said the four sailors would return home.
The government initially expected their arrival on October 3. The schedule later moved to October 4.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also directed officials to facilitate the sailors’ return.
The government has announced assistance for the families of the three Pakistani sailors who died.
The package includes financial support, housing and assistance for education and healthcare.
Remains of Three Sailors Return
The remains of the three deceased Pakistanis are travelling with the rescued sailors.
The repatriation will allow their families to receive the bodies and complete funeral arrangements in Pakistan.
Authorities continue to coordinate the return of other Pakistani crew members linked to the tanker.
The latest development marks another step in Pakistan’s efforts to bring home the sailors affected by the prolonged hijacking.
