Five crew members were killed by Somali pirates aboard the hijacked petroleum tanker MT Honour 25 before the vessel was rescued by Puntland security forces, officials in Somalia’s semi-autonomous region said. The incident marks the first reported fatalities caused by Somali pirates in over ten years.

The Palau-flagged MT Honour 25, carrying approximately 18,500 barrels of oil, was seized in April amid a resurgence of piracy off the Somali coast. Analysts have linked the increase in pirate activity to global factors, including heightened oil prices and regional instability stemming partly from the Iran conflict, which has made oil tankers more attractive targets.

Puntland’s information ministry confirmed that the rescue operation successfully freed the ship and detained 16 pirates. According to the ministry’s statement, the pirates killed five crew members prior to the intervention, including three Pakistanis, one from Myanmar, and one Indian. Four others—three Pakistanis and one Indian—sustained injuries during the ordeal.

This latest rescue follows a similar operation conducted last week by Puntland’s Maritime Police Force (PMPF), which freed the US-sanctioned tanker Sibu 1 after its hijacking in August. That mission resulted in the death of one pirate, injuries to four others, and the capture of 15 suspects. The crew of 20 was safely evacuated. However, 28 of the 41 pirates arrested during the Sibu 1 operation later escaped while being transferred to jail, amid accusations by Puntland security officials of local police complicity.

Additionally, on Tuesday the PMPF announced the recapture of another hijacked vessel, MT Eureka, seized in May. Authorities reported that the pirates abandoned the ship and fled toward the mainland as security forces approached. Pursuit operations to apprehend the suspects remain ongoing.

With the recent recoveries, Puntland authorities have successfully freed five of the six vessels held by pirates off the Somali coast as of late August. The recent spike in piracy echoes an earlier wave from 2008 to 2014 that severely disrupted one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors, resulting in extensive economic losses and substantial ransom payments.