Four injured Pakistani sailors and the remains of three crew members killed during the recovery of hijacked MT Honour 25 departed Addis Ababa for Karachi, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.
The injured — Usman Ghani, Aqeel Khan, Ameen bin Shams and Yasir Khan — and the remains of Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umar and Mahmood Ahmad Ansari travelled on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 694.
Pakistan’s ambassadors to Ethiopia and Djibouti saw them off, with the flight expected to reach Karachi later today.
The Palau-flagged tanker was hijacked by pirates off Somalia’s Puntland coast on April 21. Puntland forces later freed the vessel and arrested 16 pirates, with five crew members killed and four injured.
The vessel had 17 crew members, including 10 Pakistanis. Three Pakistani sailors and the captain reportedly remain aboard the tanker as efforts continue to facilitate their safe return.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced Rs12.5 million for each bereaved family, along with free education and healthcare for their children and a house for each family.
He also directed authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured sailors.
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