Somali forces rescue hijacked oil tanker, capture 16 pirates

Maritime forces from Somalia's Puntland State have rescued the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Honor (Honor 25) off the coast of Bandarbeyla in northeastern Somalia.



In a statement released Tuesday evening, the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) confirmed that the vessel and its 17 crew members were safe.



Held since April 21, the ship was freed in an operation that resulted in the arrest of 16 Somali pirates, while five crew members were killed by the hijackers before the rescue operation.



"The vessel is now safe and under Puntland government control. During the operation, 16 suspected pirates were apprehended, while operations to locate the remaining members continue," the security force said in a statement.