Somali pirates reportedly demand $10 million to release small product tanker

Thursday May 14, 2026

MT Honour 25 is one of the two product tankers being held off the coast of Somalia by pirates (EUNAVFOR ATALANTA)

Alarm is mounting among the families of seafarers trapped aboard two product tankers seized by Somali pirates, as reports emerge that the gunmen are pressing harder for ransom and tightening control over the ships. The vessels, both laden with fuel cargoes, remain under pirate watch off the Somali coast.

Authorities say they are tracking the ships, but one family member said any attempt to storm either vessel would be too risky because of the flammable cargo on board. With global energy prices surging, the tankers may be viewed as especially valuable prizes, and observers have suggested that a recent uptick in pirate activity may have emboldened the attackers further.

One of the ships, Eureka (3,353 dwt), was captured off Yemen while carrying 2,800 tonnes of diesel from the UAE. Pirates boarded the tanker on May 2 and steered it toward the Somali coast. The vessel is managed from the UAE and is registered in Togo.

Relatives say the UAE-based managers were slow to open negotiations. According to family members, the pirates have raised their ransom demand from $3.5 million to $10 million and continue to threaten the crew.

In response to appeals from the families of the eight Egyptian crewmembers aboard Eureka, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said it was following the case closely. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said he had ordered the embassy in Mogadishu to keep up contact and work to secure the safety of the seafarers. The families said the Egyptians on the ship include engineers, mechanics, officers, and support staff. Four Pakistani crewmembers are also aboard.

Family members said they have been allowed only limited contact with the hostages. During one call, they said the crew reported they were being given little food and water and were being guarded by armed men.

Meanwhile in Pakistan, relatives of crew aboard the other seized tanker, Honour 25 (3,089 dwt), also went public and urged government intervention. They said their family members have been held for 23 days since the product tanker was taken on April 21, about 30 nautical miles off Somalia’s Puntland State region. According to the families, 10 of the 17 crewmembers are Pakistani.

A team from the Pakistani embassy in Djibouti is reported to have traveled to Somalia from May 7 to 10. The reports said officials were told the captives were safe. Still, the families are demanding stronger action to free the crewmembers, saying they are enduring terrible conditions and have been forced to drink water from the tanks to stay alive.

The EU security operation in the region has said three commercial ships have been seized, along with several dhows. It has warned vessels to stay at least 150 nautical miles from the coast and to step up security precautions. Even so, there were reports that another group has taken a dhow and may be looking for a merchant ship to target next.