Summary Ethiopian Airlines staff reviewing necessary preparations for transfer of bodies to Pakistan
KARACHI (Dunya News) - Four Pakistani crew members injured during an operation to recover the hijacked oil tanker MT Honour 25 off Somalia have left Addis Ababa for Karachi, along with the remains of three Pakistani sailors who were killed in the incident.
The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s ambassadors to Djibouti and Ethiopia saw off the four injured crew members — Usman Ghani, Aqeel Khan, Ameen bin Shams and Yasir Khan — as well as the remains of Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmad Ansari.
Pakistan’s Ambassadors to Djibouti and Ethiopia saw off the four injured Pakistani crew members of MT Honour 25, Usman Ghani, Aqeel Khan, Ameen bin Shams and Yasir Khan, along with the mortal remains of Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmad Ansari, from Addis Ababa. They are arriving in Karachi today aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 694.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 4, 2026
The seven Pakistanis are travelling to Karachi on an Ethiopian Airlines flight and are expected to arrive on Sunday evening, according to the Foreign Office.
They were among 10 Pakistani nationals aboard the Palau-flagged tanker, which was hijacked by Somali pirates in April. The vessel’s crew also included seven Indonesian nationals, one Indian and one Sri Lankan.
On September 29, Somali maritime police recovered the tanker after a security operation. Authorities said 21 suspected pirates were arrested, while efforts to locate other members of the crew continued.
According to the Foreign Office, five crew members were killed before the operation began, including three Pakistanis, one Myanmar national and one Indian.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a relief package of Rs12.5 million for the families of the Pakistani sailors who were killed.
