Somali Pirates Kill Five Crew on Hijacked Tanker MT Honour 25 Before Puntland Rescue

Somali pirates killed five crew members aboard the hijacked MT Honour 25 petroleum products tanker before security forces rescued the vessel, Puntland authorities said on Tuesday. The Palau-flagged ship was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil when it was seized, according to Puntland police. The deaths are believed to be the first attributed to Somali pirates in more than a decade, marking a significant escalation in maritime security off the Horn of Africa. The rescue operation was conducted by security forces in Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland, which has taken a leading role in counter-piracy efforts in the region. The MT Honour 25 was hijacked with its cargo of petroleum products on board, and the fate of the remaining crew members has not been detailed in the statement. The incident underscores a potential resurgence of piracy in waters near Somalia, where international naval patrols had largely suppressed such attacks since the early 2010s. Puntland police confirmed the vessel's flag state and cargo volume, but further details about the attackers or the rescue operation were not immediately available. The killings represent a rare fatal outcome in modern Somali piracy, which typically involves hostage-taking for ransom rather than violence against crew. The international community has yet to respond publicly to the incident.