Puntland authorities say five foreign crew members were killed after pirates seized the MT Honer 25 off the Somali coast.
According to Puntland, the victims included three Pakistani nationals, one Myanmar national and one Indian national.
Four other crew members were injured in the attack, including three Pakistanis and one Indian according to the reports.
Puntland Maritime Police Force said its forces launched an operation to rescue the vessel and its crew. The operation was completed within a few hours, and the vessel is now safe and under the control of PMPF forces.
During the operation, Puntland forces arrested 16 suspected pirates, while other suspects fled the area and remain at large.
Puntland authorities said they have information about the whereabouts of the escaped suspects and that operations are underway to apprehend them.
Puntland said it would continue its operations against piracy and maintain heightened security to prevent further attacks.
The authorities also warned that anyone found to be involved in piracy would face legal action.
Mustaqbal
