The Maritime Affairs Secretary on Friday sought a detailed short report on the hijacking of an oil tanker by pirates near Somalia, with 11 Pakistani
An illustrative image related to: Oil tanker hijacked off Somalia, highlighting key aspects of the story. | Image source: The Express Tribune
Oil tanker hijacked off Somalia
The Maritime Affairs Secretary on Friday sought a detailed short report on the hijacking of an oil tanker by pirates near Somalia, with 11 Pakistani crew members on board, and directed the relevant representatives to coordinate with the External Government department, Pakistan Fleet and others for the recovery of the hostages.
Initial details suggested that pirates hijacked an oil tanker named 'Owner 25' in the Gulf of Aden near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait off the Somali coast on Tuesday. The vessel's crew included its company head, an Indonesian national, along with 11 Pakistanis.
In a comment, Maritime Affairs Secretary Junaid Anwar Chaudhry stated that efforts had been intensified to ensure the safe recovery of the Pakistani crew members from the pirates. The comment further stated that the government department was closely monitoring the condition.
Strain in the Persian Gulf heightened after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Since then Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz. After that, Saudi Arabia started pumping crude from its oil-producing Eastern Territory to the Yanbu area on the Red Sea coast through the 1,200-kilometre East–West pipeline.
However, shipping lines in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait are regularly facing threats not only from Somali pirates but also from Yemen's Houthi political push. There is no information so far about the name and nationality of the owner and the shipping company operating the hijacked tanker.
Reports from official sources suggest that the crew is currently in captivity, and dialogue for their release are reportedly under way. They further stated that the External Government department is engaging with the Somali province for the safe release of the Pakistani crew members.
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