Five crew members were killed on the oil tanker MT Hoarner 25 after Somali pirates seized the ship off the coast of Somalia in April. Regional security forces from Puntland finally boarded the vessel, recapturing the tanker and rescuing the remaining crew.
The deaths included three Pakistanis, an Indian and a Myanmar national, while four more crew members were wounded. The tanker was carrying about 18,500 barrels of oil destined for Mogadishu when it was taken.
Sixteen suspected pirates were arrested, though a number escaped and are still being chased by authorities. Puntland officials confirm that they did not help any pirates escape and did not provide details on how the crew were killed.
Since 2011, piracy off the Somali coast has fallen drastically thanks to international naval operations, but recent years have seen a resurgence of attacks and hijackings.
