Indian sailor killed as Somali forces retake hijacked tanker

A crew member from India lost his life during an armed operation to recover a hijacked tanker in waters off Somalia, authorities said on Tuesday. The Puntland Maritime Police Force recaptured the MT Honour 25 after engaging with pirates who had seized the vessel, resulting in five deaths among the crew.

Three Pakistani nationals, one Indian sailor, and one crew member from Myanmar were killed during the military intervention, according to a statement from the Puntland Maritime Police Force. Another crew member sustained injuries during the operation but survived. The Palau-flagged tanker, seized by pirates in one of the world's most perilous shipping corridors, was successfully recovered by the regional maritime force.

The incident underscores the ongoing risks faced by commercial shipping in the Horn of Africa region, where piracy remains a persistent threat to international maritime traffic. The recovery operation highlights the challenges confronted by crews and authorities in managing hijackings in these waters, where armed groups regularly target vessels transiting between major global trade routes.