Puntland deputy information minister Bile Qabowsade told the BBC that pirates seized the MT Hoarner 25 in April off the Somali coast and killed five crew members. The crew included three Pakistanis, one Indian and one Myanmar national, while four others were injured.
Security forces boarded the vessel, retaking control and arresting sixteen suspected pirates. Six escaped and are still being pursued by authorities.
The tanker, carrying about 18,500 barrels of oil, had been targeted before the surge of piracy in 2011 saw a sharp decline. Recent attacks have risen again, underscoring the fragile maritime security in the region.
Officials denied allegations that Puntland forces helped pirates escape and will not disclose how the killings occurred.
