Video of hostage crew appears after 26 days in pirate captivity

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

In the footage, one of the kidnapped crew members, Second Officer Hussain Yousuf, is seen asking for urgent help from the government to ensure the release of all hostages.

He is flanked by Pakistani crewmates and Indonesian colleagues, while armed pirates are seen in the background.

In the video, Yousuf said it had been 26 days since the ship was seized and added that the crew was still unaware of any progress in negotiations for its release.

Read more: CPDH expresses deep alarm at the continued captivity of Pakistani crew members by Somali pirates

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

He urged the government and the shipping company to accelerate negotiations to ensure his safe release.

Meanwhile, the families of the kidnapped Pakistani crew members are said to be in grave danger and are making repeated appeals to the authorities for the safe return of their loved ones. The children of the hostages expressed their hope to celebrate the upcoming Eidul Azha with their parents.

The families have reached out to 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 representative. The governor assured them of full cooperation and promised to take up the matter with the federal government.

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