Somali police rescue hijacked MT Honour 25 tanker

Somali maritime police said Tuesday they had rescued the Palau-flagged MT Honour 25 oil tanker, which was hijacked in April, in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district in Puntland.

Puntland police said maritime police force personnel used naval and ground units in a planned operation and rescued the vessel’s 17 crew members. Police said the tanker had 18,500 barrels of oil on board when it was hijacked.

The operation came days after Puntland police rescued another oil tanker, Sibu 1. Puntland police have faced criticism over their handling of a piracy resurgence in the region, and several Puntland security officials accused local police of complicity after 28 of 41 pirates arrested in the Sibu 1 operation later escaped while being transferred to jail.

Somali piracy has seen at least 15 attacks since April, the highest number since 2013.