Somali pirates have reportedly hijacked an oil tanker near the Gulf of Aden region, taking its crew hostage and raising concerns over the safety of Pakistani nationals on board.
According to shipping sources, the vessel named Owner 25 was attacked and seized by pirates on April 21.
Shipping sources said pirates operating near Somalia attacked the oil tanker Owner 25 and took control of the vessel. The incident was reported to the Marine Information Center.
The ship remains under pirate control, according to available reports. There were reportedly 25 people on board the vessel, including 11 Pakistani crew members and the owner.
Shipping sources said Pakistani and Sri Lankan crew members were among those on the ship. The presence of Pakistani nationals has caused alarm among their families, who are now appealing for urgent government intervention.
Pakistani authorities yet to contact crew
Officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs, including the Directorate of Ports, have so far been unable to establish contact with the Pakistani crew.
Reports said the agency responsible for sending the vessel has also remained unresponsive. Local media, citing shipping sources, said the silence from the agency has increased the concerns of the families.
Speaking to local media, families of the crew members said Indonesian authorities were negotiating the release of their captain. They urged the Pakistani government to take immediate steps for the safe return of Pakistani nationals.
The families said urgent diplomatic and maritime coordination was needed to secure the crew’s release.
The reported hijacking has renewed concerns over piracy near Somalia and the wider Gulf of Aden region. The Gulf of Aden is among the world’s most sensitive maritime routes, linking key trade and energy corridors.
The seizure of a vessel with a multinational crew has added to fears about maritime security and crew safety in the region.
Earlier boat tragedy near Lampedusa
The report comes after a separate maritime tragedy earlier this year, when more than 70 people went missing after a migrant boat trying to reach Europe from Libya capsized near the coast of Lampedusa.
Reports said 32 survivors were rescued, but two of them later died. The incident occurred on Easter Sunday.
The migrant boat was spotted by two commercial ships passing through the area. Their crews carried out emergency rescue operations and helped save survivors from the overturned vessel.
The survivors were later transferred to Italian Coast Guard vessels and taken to the island of Lampedusa.
Officials from Italy’s Ministry of Interior have not commented on the Lampedusa incident. Requests for information from the Coast Guard were also not immediately answered. Survivors said the boat had been carrying 105 people in total, leaving 71 unaccounted for.
Video released by Sea-Watch showed survivors clinging to the overturned boat as a commercial ship approached.
Rough weather worsens Mediterranean crossings
The Mediterranean has been badly affected this year by rough weather.
The conditions have severely disrupted travel from North Africa and increased the risks for migrants attempting to cross into Europe.
The Lampedusa tragedy and the reported hijacking near Somalia have again highlighted the dangers faced by people and crews on major sea routes.
