The captain of the 'Honour 25' raised alert that the crew has been caught between two fractions in Somalia. The rival group recently tried to storm the ship, and there was an exchange of gunfire between the two groups. Five of the 17 crewmembers, including the captain, were now suffering from health problems. The captain reported that the food supplies have been reduced to rice, and the available water was unsafe for drinking. As a result, the Chair of the IMO initiative, Metse Ralephenya of South Africa, was calling for “urgent, coordinated and decisive international intervention to secure the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of the crews.”
News
SIBU 1
Authorities in the Puntland region of Somalia have freed the 'Sibu 1', and the pirates were arrested in a planned 48-hour operation. A violent clash took place between the Somali forces and the pirates off the coast of Mudug, leaving three people dead and several others injured. It was not specified whether it was all pirates or some of the crew from the ship. The 'Sibu 1' was captured on Aug 20 off the coast of Yemen, approximately 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla by six pirated, who directed it to the coast of Somalia. The tanker had a crew of 20, including 16 Indian nationals and four Arab crewmembers. It had had a murky past and was sanctioned by the United States in December 2025 in an effort targeting an Egyptian businessman. OFAC asserted his companies were associated with multiple shadow fleet vessels, as well as several shipping companies, used to transport Iranian oil products. The former 'Seamull' was transferred to UAE management and renamed 'Sibu 1', claiming registry in Eritrea, which was considered false.
MINERAL KIKU
A CAT 3 incident occurred onboard the 'Mineral Kiklu', while the bulk carrier was transiting the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait [SS] in pos. 1° 8.00' N 103° 31.16' E on Sep 17, 2026, at 3.18 a.m. Four perpetrators boarded the ship, armed with knives and gun-like objects, and stole engine spares. The crew members were not injured in the incident.
SWARD
The 'Sward' was released by Somalian pirates on Sep 11, 2026, after a ransom in an unknown amount was paid. The release took place near the coastal town of Garakad. All 17 crew members remained safely on board. The crew included 15 Syrian and two Indian nationals. The 'Sward' had been captured on April 26 and since then also been used by the pirates to capture other vessels. These included two Iranian fishing boats and the Cameroon-flagged cargo m/v 'Lutuf'.The kidnappers left the vessel on the afternoon in several vehicles, heading toward the shore before entering the town’s neighborhoods. It spent about 138 days under the control of Somali pirates after it was hijacked off Somalia’s northern coast on April 26. The European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta confirmed that the 'Sward' was transporting fertiliser to Mombasa.
SHARQ
A CAT 3 incident occurred onboard the 'Sharq', while the LPG Tanker was moored at the Batangas Bay Anchorage, in pos. 13° 43.20' N 121° 2.10' E, on Sep 15, 2026, at 03.32 a.m. Two perpetrators, armed with knives and gun-like objects, stole ship's stores. No injuries were reported among the crew members.

