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Around 30 suspected pirates have escaped while being transported to jail after their arrest during the rescue of a hijacked oil tanker in Somalia, with security sources alleging possible involvement by police officers.
The escape happened on Friday night as authorities moved 41 suspected pirates from the port town of Garacad to Puntland’s capital, Garowe, following the recovery of the oil tanker Sibu 1, also known as Seamull.
Maritime police intercepted the vessel in what was seen as a major operation by authorities in the semi-autonomous Puntland region, which has faced criticism over its handling of renewed piracy activity.
Read More : Somali Forces Rescue Hijacked Tanker
However, the operation quickly came under scrutiny after 28 suspects escaped during the road transfer. Four local security sources told AFP that transporting the detainees at night was unusual and raised questions about how the suspects were able to flee.
According to the sources, the vehicle carrying the suspects suffered a burst tyre during the journey, after which the detainees discovered that the door was unlocked and escaped. Police later recaptured only 13 members of the group, while one suspect was fatally wounded by gunfire.
“In Puntland, we don’t move (suspects) at night across multiple provinces. Then later on the trip, the pirates ran from the vehicle because the lock on the door was missing. I don’t need to say anything else. It’s obvious,” one security source told AFP.
Another source alleged that the suspects’ restraints had been removed before the journey, despite being tied during their initial arrest.
“There had to be insiders within the armed security detail,” another source said, while a second source accused officers involved in the escape of being “no better than the pirates on the run.”
Read More : Somali Pirates Briefly Seize Ship off Yemen
A relative of one of the escaped suspects confirmed to AFP that he had fled and was safe.
The incident comes as piracy activity off Somalia’s coast increases. The UN’s International Maritime Organisation recorded at least 15 attacks this year, the highest number since 2013.
The Seamull tanker was seized by pirates off Yemen’s coast on August 20 before being taken into Somali waters. The vessel is under US sanctions as part of Iran’s “shadow fleet”, which Washington accuses of secretly transporting Iranian oil.
