The family of Ashari Samadikun, the captain of the oil tanker Honour 25, has appealed to the Indonesian government to intervene immediately after the vessel was seized by Somali pirates five days ago.
Ashari, 33, from Pattallassang district in Gowa province, is among the crew members being held by the pirates. He is the captain of the UAE-flagged vessel, which set sail from Oman to Somalia on April 21 with 16 crew members on board.
His mother, Siti Aminah, wept as she held a picture of her son in a statement to local media.
“He was the pillar of the family and always took great care of his siblings and parents. I was shocked to hear the news. I beg President Prabowo to help my son who has been held by pirates for many days,” she said.
Ashari’s wife, Santi Sanaya, said the last contact she had with her husband was a WhatsApp voice message on April 21.
“He sent me a voice message on Tuesday night saying the ship had been attacked. After that, it was very difficult to contact him,” she said.
The family said talks between the ship’s owner and the pirates were ongoing, but the outcome had not yet been officially confirmed.
“We were told that the situation on the ship was always changing. If the pirates felt threatened, the safety of the crew could be at risk,” Santi added.
Although the crew were working on a foreign-flagged ship, the family expressed hope that the Indonesian government would provide protection to its citizens abroad.
“As a family, we hope that the government will help my husband and the other crew members return safely,” she said.
Of the 17 crew members kidnapped, four are Indonesian nationals. The pirates are said to have demanded a ransom, although it is not known how much the pirates have demanded.
