Somali pirates have demanded a ransom of $3 million for the release of 17 hostages, including 10 Pakistani nationals, being held aboard the hijacked oil tanker Honour 25.
According to the Ansar Burney Trust, the pirate leader sent a WhatsApp message on Monday stating that the hostages, vessel, and cargo would only be released after full payment of the ransom. The pirates reportedly refused any negotiations or reduction in the amount demanded.
Qurrat-ul-Ain Advocate, director of the trust, confirmed the contact and said the pirates denied reports claiming they had demanded $10 million. They also rejected links to a man named Usman, who was described in some media reports as the ship’s owner.
صومالی بحری قزاقوں نے پاکستانیوں سمیت 17 یرغمالیوں کی نئی ویڈیو جاری کردی
یرغمالی پاکستانی شہری یوسف حسین کی حکومت پاکستان سے اپیل
یہ لوگ ابلے چاول اور ٹینک کا گندہ پانی پینے کے لیے دے رہے ہیں،بہت مشکل میں جلد سے جلد قزاقوں سے مزاکرات کریں ،ویڈیو میں بھاری اسلحے سے لیس قزاق بھی… pic.twitter.com/1IcDJ2jPCV— Shahid Hussain (@ShahidHussainJM) May 15, 2026
The Honour 25, sailing under the Somali flag from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked on the 21st of last month with 17 crew members aboard.
The hostages have appealed for urgent help through video and audio messages, saying food, medicine, and clean drinking water have run out. They said they are surviving on one serving of boiled rice daily and are drinking contaminated water, causing illnesses among several crew members aboard the vessel.
