IMO Secretary-General mourns seafarers killed in ship rescue

Five seafarers died and several others were injured during a rescue operation to free the hijacked vessel HONOUR 25 in Somali waters on 29 September. The incident occurred in the Gulf of Aden region.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and called on the international community to increase protections for maritime workers. While the HONOUR 25 was successfully freed, the operation also resulted in the release of crews from two other vessels, the SEAMULL (also known as SIBU 1) and the MT EUREKA, which had been held by pirates and armed robbers since mid-2026.

A total of 44 seafarers were freed from these three vessels, and their respective governments are coordinating with shipowners for repatriation. However, 22 seafarers remain in captivity aboard the vessel ASANA.