{"id":1940,"date":"2026-09-30T19:03:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T14:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=1940"},"modified":"2026-09-30T19:03:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T14:03:46","slug":"families-await-bodies-of-3-pakistanis-killed-in-somalia-ship-recovery-operation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=1940","title":{"rendered":"Families await bodies of 3 Pakistanis killed in Somalia ship recovery operation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Grieving families in Karachi are waiting for the bodies of three Pakistani sailors killed during an operation to recover the hijacked MT Honour 25<\/em> off the coast of Somalia, after spending months hoping their loved ones would return home safely.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The families of second officer Syed Kashif Umar, Mahmood Ahmed Ansari and Rafi Ullah Khan say they had repeatedly raised their concerns over the sailors\u2019 safety but were unable to secure their release from the pirates\u2019 custody.<\/p>\n

Relatives of Rafi Ullah said he had been aboard the vessel for about 10 months and had spent the last six months in captivity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe learnt about his death from the media and the ship\u2019s captain,\u201d a family member said, appealing to the government to bring his body back to Pakistan so the family could have a final glimpse of him and perform his burial.<\/p>\n

The families said they had yet to receive direct contact from any government representative following the incident.<\/p>\n

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They appealed to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and President Asif Ali Zardari to take immediate diplomatic steps to repatriate the bodies.<\/p>\n

The Foreign Office confirmed on Wednesday that five crew members were killed during the operation to recover MT Honour 25<\/em>, including three Pakistani nationals.<\/p>\n

The deceased Pakistanis were identified as Rafi Ullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umar and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari.<\/p>\n

The Foreign Office said four other crew members were injured, including three Pakistanis. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, while the surviving crew members were brought safely ashore at Bandar Beyla.<\/p>\n

The government expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said Pakistan\u2019s Embassy in Djibouti was sending a team to Bandar Beyla to assist the Pakistani nationals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Government of Pakistan, through its Mission and relevant authorities, remains in close contact with the Somali authorities and other concerned stakeholders,\u201d the Foreign Office said.<\/p>\n

It added that every possible effort was being made to ensure proper medical care for the injured, facilitate transportation of the deceased\u2019s remains and ensure the safe return of the surviving Pakistani crew members.<\/p>\n

The deaths occurred during a Somali security operation to recover the vessel from pirates. According to earlier details shared by surviving crew members, five sailors were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire.<\/p>\n

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