Indonesia Reveals How Quiet Diplomacy Helped Free Four MT Honour 25 Crew Members
Indonesia Reveals How Quiet Diplomacy Helped Free Four MT Honour 25 Crew Members
Reporter
October 7, 2026 | 07:57 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed details regarding the release of four Indonesian crew members from the MT Honour 25, who had been held hostage for five months by pirates in Somali waters.
Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Arrmanatha Nasir stated that the rescue operation was successfully carried out through quiet diplomacy and with the support of the Puntland regional government in Somalia on September 29, 2026.
Ultimately, the four men were repatriated to Indonesia, arriving at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
“From the very beginning, we did not publicly disclose the details of the process because it involved sensitive negotiations and diplomacy; we did not want the hijackers to use that information to pressure us,” Arrmanatha said in Tangerang on Wednesday, October 7, as quoted by Antara.
The official explained that the release process required time and strict confidentiality during negotiations with the relevant parties. This approach was deliberately adopted by the government to ensure the safety of the hostages.
“That policy was adopted to ensure that the dynamics of the negotiations would not be exploited by the hostage-takers in a way that could jeopardize the safety of the Indonesian nationals on the ground,” he stated.
Furthermore, the release process was lengthy due to the need for intensive cross-border coordination—involving not only the Somali government and the ship’s owner but also representatives from the home countries of the other crew members who had also been taken hostage.
He added that a total of 17 crew members had been held hostage, including four Indonesians—among them Ashari Samadikun, the ship’s captain from Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi. The others included Adi Faizal (Second Officer from Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi), Wahudinanto (Chief Officer from Pemalang, Central Java), and Fiki Mutakin (from Bogor, West Java), with the remaining crew members hailing from India, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
“As previously stated by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, our fellow citizens have returned today after enduring a very difficult situation aboard the ship for over five months,” he explained.
On that occasion, Foreign Ministry official Arrmanatha expressed his highest appreciation to Captain Ashari Samadikun—the ship’s commander—for demonstrating extraordinary responsibility in ensuring the safety of the entire crew, particularly the Indonesian nationals, throughout both the hostage crisis and the subsequent release process.
“He also extended his gratitude to the families, who have shown remarkable patience over the past six months,” he noted.
Arrmanatha specifically acknowledged Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Sugiono—who previously served as Foreign Minister—for overseeing the negotiation process and the efforts to secure the crew’s release from the very beginning of the hostage incident.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained regular coordination with the Ministry of Transportation, the families, the shipowner, and Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) to provide transparent information and garner full support,” he said.
Read: Indonesia Rejected Somalia Hijackers’ Demands in Effort to Free MT Honour 25 Crew
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