Bodies of Pakistanis killed in Somalia being repatriated, arrive in Addis Ababa: PMO

The our bodies of three Pakistanis killed in an operation to get better a hijacked oil tanker off the Somali coast have reached Addis Ababa, with preparations beneath method for his or her repatriation, the PMO mentioned on Saturday

The Palau-flagged MT Honour 25, carrying 18,500 barrels of oil and a 17-member crew, together with 10 Pakistanis, was seized on April 21, round 30 nautical miles off Puntland whereas crusing from Oman to Somalia. Puntland’s Maritime Police Pressure mentioned it rescued the tanker in an operation off Dharin-baar, however the pirates opened fireplace on the hostages, killing 5, together with three Pakistanis and injuring 4 others.

In accordance with the PMO assertion, the our bodies of Syed Kafeel Omar, Ahmad Ansari and Rafiullah had arrived in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, the place Ethiopian Airways employees had been reviewing preparations for his or her switch to Pakistan.

Learn: Three Pakistani sailors killed in Somali ship rescue operation

The PMO mentioned last approval could be granted for the our bodies to be dispatched to Karachi as soon as the mandatory preparations had been accomplished.

In accordance with the prime minister’s directives, related officers had been in fixed contact to expedite the repatriation course of, the assertion mentioned.

The prime minister had assured each doable help in bringing again the our bodies of the three Pakistani residents, in accordance with the PMO.

It mentioned PM Shehbaz had spoken by phone on Friday with Izaan Kafeel, the son of deceased Syed Kafeel Omar, and expressed his condolences over the dying of his father and warranted him that the federal government would take all needed measures to swiftly repatriate his physique together with these of the opposite deceased Pakistanis.

Additionally Learn: 4 Pakistani crew members from hijacked MT Honour 25 to reach in Karachi tomorrow: Dar

A day earlier, the prime minister introduced monetary help of Rs12.5 million for the households of every of the three Pakistanis killed throughout a Somali operation to rescue the crew from pirates.

He additionally introduced free training and healthcare for the deceased’s youngsters, whereas every bereaved household could be supplied with a home.

The oil tanker Honour 25, crusing beneath the Somali flag from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked by pirates on April 21. There have been 17 crew members aboard, 10 of them Pakistani nationals. The households of the Pakistani hostages spent months looking for the protected launch of their family members, staging peaceable protests and repeatedly approaching authorities authorities.

Throughout their captivity, the pirates initially demanded a ransom of $3 million, which was later decreased to $1.9 million and subsequently to $1 million. All of the Pakistani crew members who had been killed or injured had been from completely different areas of Karachi.

The pirates got here beneath stress throughout a rescue operation and, whereas retreating from the vessel, opened indiscriminate fireplace on the kidnapped crew earlier than fleeing the ship. 5 sailors had been killed, together with three Pakistanis — Second Officer Kashif Umar, Third Engineer Mahmood Ansari and Boiler Rafiullah. The opposite two deceased crew members had been an Indian sailor, Tanveer, and the chief engineer from Myanmar.

4 sailors had been injured — Usman, Yasir, Ameen and Vicky from Indonesia — whereas Hussain Yousuf, Imran Ali and Yaseen remained protected. The 2 surviving Pakistani crew members later contacted the Ansar Burney Welfare Belief in Karachi utilizing the ship captain’s cell phone and offered particulars of the incident.

Puntland police mentioned the Honour 25 had 18,500 barrels of oil on board when it was hijacked. The police had been pursuing three hijacked vessels off the Somali coast and had additionally rescued one other oil tanker, Sibu 1, on Friday. Nevertheless, 28 of the 41 pirates arrested throughout that operation later escaped whereas being transferred to jail, with a number of Puntland safety officers accusing native police of complicity.