Families of Pakistani hostages held by Somali pirates for 23 days seek rescue
"He says his brain isn't functioning. He's worried about his dad and that's all that's on his mind," said Fatima. Her husband, Syed Hussain Yousuf, serves as second engineer on the vessel.
By Ariba ShahidThursday May 14, 2026
Families of the Pakistani hostage crew members of the Oil Products Tanker the HONOUR 25 that was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, hold placards during a protest, calling the government to take immediate action for the safe return of their loved ones, in Karachi, Pakistan May 13, 2026. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro Purchase Licensing Rights
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In Karachi on Wednesday, Ambreen Fatima stood with her children and pleaded for the release of her husband, one of 10 Pakistani crew members aboard an oil tanker seized by Somali pirates 23 days ago. She said he is now surviving on dirty tank water.
The MT Honour 25, a Palau-flagged product tanker, was taken on April 21 about 30 nautical miles off Somalia’s Puntland State region with 17 crew members on board, including 10 Pakistanis.
Fatima said the strain had already taken a toll on her family. Her daughter was hospitalized for two days because of the stress, and her 16-year-old son, who is sitting annual exams, could hardly focus.
“He says his brain isn’t functioning. He’s worried about his dad and that’s all that’s on his mind,” said Fatima. Her husband, Syed Hussain Yousuf, serves as second engineer on the vessel.
The last time the pirates permitted a video call, six days ago, “he did not look well,” she said.
In the sweltering heat, five hostage families gathered at the Karachi Port Trust Native Jetty Bridge, an overpass near the city’s main port, carrying placards urging the government to bring their relatives home. Children stood with them, some barely able to keep their signs raised.
Somali pirate attacks on ships were once a familiar threat in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, a vital shipping corridor for energy and goods headed to global markets. Such incidents eased through much of 2025, but they are climbing again. The route has grown even more important amid the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz because of the Iran war.
NO CLEAN WATER
Families said their children had suffered panic and anxiety attacks since their fathers went missing. When crew members were briefly allowed to call home, they reported that the ship had run out of clean water and that sailors were drinking dirty tank water and eating boiled rice once a day to stay alive.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the pirates had not reached out to Islamabad and had shown no interest in negotiating with the government. “The ship owner is negotiating with the pirates and is in touch with the Somali government, which is keeping Pakistan informed of updates,” he said.
A team from Pakistan’s embassy in Djibouti visited Somalia from May 7 to May 10 and was told the captives were safe, but that Somali authorities could not storm the vessel because it was carrying flammable cargo, he said.
“We are doing our best. We understand that Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs is coordinating with the families.”
At least three vessels were seized off Puntland State in April 2026, prompting a “substantial” threat-level warning from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
Mehwish Yasir said she had spoken to her husband of 15 years, Yasir Khan, an oiler aboard the vessel, only twice since he departed in January and had no idea whether any steps were being taken to secure his release. Her younger son still does not understand what happened. “He still thinks his dad is going to come soon,” she said. “We don’t even know if they’re coming back or not.”
Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi, editing by Alexandra Hudson
