The tanker had been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia before security forces launched an operation to rescue the vessel and its crew, Reuters reported.
Puntland authorities said the five crew members were killed before the rescue mission was carried out. Further details about the identities of the victims, the circumstances of their deaths and the number of crew members rescued were not immediately available.
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The incident highlights continuing security concerns along Somalia’s coastline, where piracy has periodically threatened commercial shipping despite international efforts to protect vessels operating in the region.
