Reports from families of seafarers and regional sources indicate that pirates demand up to $10 million for the release of two product tankers and their crews, held off Somalia. The vessels – MV Eureka and MV Honour 25 – remain under armed control in separate but related hijacking incidents along key shipping routes in the Horn of Africa.
MV Eureka, a 3,353 dwt product tanker, was seized on 2 May while transiting off Yemen carrying around 2,800 tonnes of diesel loaded in the United Arab Emirates. The pirates redirected the vessel to the Somali coast and initially demanded $3.5 million for its release. Families of the crew allege that delays in launching negotiations by the vessel’s operator and Egyptian authorities were followed by a sharp increase in the ransom demand to $10 million.
The tanker is managed from the UAE and registered in Togo. On board are 12 seafarers, including eight Egyptians and four Pakistani nationals. Families report limited communication with the crew and growing concern over their wellbeing.
MV Honour 25 (3,089 dwt) was hijacked on 21 April approximately 30 nautical miles off Somalia’s Puntland region and has been held for more than three weeks. The vessel carries 17 crew members, 10 of whom are Pakistani nationals.
Families of the crews on both vessels report dire conditions on board, with severely limited supplies of food and water. They say the seafarers are under constant armed supervision and have limited ability to communicate with the outside world.
Diplomatic efforts are ongoing. Pakistani officials have reportedly sent a delegation to the region, while Egyptian authorities are monitoring the situation through their embassy in Mogadishu.
The European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) continues to warn shipping operators about heightened risks in the region, advising vessels to maintain a wide distance from the Somali coastline and apply strict security measures.
The presence of flammable cargoes aboard both tankers is further complicating any potential rescue or intervention planning, while the financial value of refined products is believed to be a contributing factor to the renewed targeting of product tankers.
The situation remains fluid as negotiations continue, with international attention focused on the safety of the detained crews and the outcome of the ransom talks.
