MOGADISHU – Pirates operating near Somalia hijacked the oil tanker “Owner 25” on April 21, according to shipping sources.
The vessel, carrying 11 Pakistani crew members, remains under pirate control.
Officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs, including the Directorate of Ports, have yet to establish contact with the crew. The agency responsible for sending the vessel has also remained unresponsive.
Speaking to local media, the families of the crew said Indonesia’s authorities are negotiating the release of their captain.
They urged the Pakistani government to take immediate action to ensure the safe return of their nationals.
Earlier this year, over 70 people went missing after a migrant boat attempting to reach Europe from Libya capsized near the coast of Lampedusa.
Reports said 32 survivors were rescued, two of whom later died. The incident occurred on Easter Sunday. The vessel was spotted by two commercial ships passing through the area, whose crews carried out emergency rescue operations.
Survivors were later transferred to Italian Coast Guard vessels and taken to the island of Lampedusa.
Officials from the Italian Ministry of Interior have not commented on the incident, and requests for information from the Coast Guard have not been immediately answered.
Survivors reported that the boat carried a total of 105 people, leaving 71 unaccounted for.
Video released by Sea-Watch shows survivors clinging to the overturned boat while a commercial ship approaches.
The Mediterranean has been particularly affected this year by rough weather, severely impacting travel from North Africa.
