Hostage Crew Video Surfaces After 26 Days of Pirate Captivity

A video showing 10 crew members of an Indonesian-flagged ship being held hostage by Somali pirates surfaced Friday, sparking concern among their families and the public.

In the footage, one of the kidnapped crew members, Petty Officer Hussain Yousuf, appeals to the government for urgent help to secure the release of all the hostages.

He is flanked by other Pakistani crew members as well as Indonesian colleagues, while armed pirates are visible in the background.

Speaking in the video, Yousuf said 26 days had passed since the vessel was seized, adding that the crew was still unaware of any progress in negotiations for their release.

Learn more: HRCP expresses deep concern over continued captivity of Pakistani crew by Somali pirates

He described deteriorating conditions on board, saying food supplies had run out and pirates were providing only small portions of rice every 24 hours. He added that the crew was forced to drink contaminated water from the ship’s tank.

He urged the government and the shipping company to speed up negotiations to ensure their safe release.

Meanwhile, the families of the kidnapped Pakistani crew members are said to be in serious distress and have made repeated appeals to authorities for the safe return of their loved ones. The children of the hostages expressed hope of celebrating the upcoming Eidul Azha with their fathers.

The families contacted various government officials through media and social platforms. About two weeks ago, they met the governor of Sindh in what was described as their first formal interaction with a government official. The governor assured them of his full cooperation and pledged to take up the matter with the federal government.

Earlier, the families staged a symbolic protest at the Native Jetty Bridge, briefly blocking busy port traffic to draw attention to their plight. They also warned against launching a hunger strike if their demands were not quickly met.