An Indian sailor was among five crew members killed aboard the hijacked fuel tanker MT Honour 25 off the coast of Puntland, Somalia. Three Pakistani crew members and one Indian national were also injured, according to the report.
The Puntland Maritime Police Force said three Pakistanis, one Indian and one Myanmar national were killed before its forces moved to take control of the Palau-flagged vessel.
The force blamed Somali pirates for the deaths but did not provide details on when or how the crew members were killed.
The vessel was reportedly hijacked on April 21 while heading towards Mogadishu, carrying around 18,500 barrels of fuel. According to EUNAVFOR, it had about 17 crew members, most of them Pakistani nationals.
The Puntland force said it successfully rescued the tanker during an operation off Dharin-baar in Bandar Beyla District.
Sixteen suspected pirates were apprehended, while efforts to locate the remaining pirates continued.
Meanwhile, another tanker, MT Eureka, was released by Somali pirates in Puntland. All 12 crew members, including eight Egyptians and four Indians, were handed over unharmed, while the vessel was reportedly damaged and parts were set ablaze.
