For many, exploring the vast oceans is the stuff of dreams. For Fiki Mutakim, a young Indonesian sailor, the sea has become a turbulent convergence of hope and peril.
At just 24 years old, Fiki had finally set out to fulfill his lifelong ambition of sailing the international seas. His maiden voyage was meant to be the beginning of a promising career, a way to secure a better future for those he left behind. However, on April 21, his journey took a harrowing turn when he and three other Indonesian nationals—along with over a dozen international crew members—were forcibly captured by armed pirates.
Recent footage circulating online reveals the grim reality of their situation: more than a dozen hostages crammed into a cramped ship cabin, huddled together in uncertainty. This hostage crisis is not merely a singular event; it follows a series of setbacks for Fiki, who had previously fallen victim to a job scam.
Back home in the “Land of a Thousand Islands,” his family waits with bated breath. They are not just waiting for the return of a son; they are holding onto the promises he left behind—a promise to return, to marry the woman he loves, and to provide a life of comfort for his mother and siblings. As one seasoned sailor once noted, the ocean never truly stops a sailor; it merely tests the strength of their resolve. In Jakarta, Fiki’s mother clings to the conviction that her son will come home.
‘Mom, please pray that I return home safely’
On Tuesday, April 21, at 8:30 AM WIB, Aat Setiyawati’s phone buzzed with a video call from her son, Fiki. That day, their conversation was standard—the typical check-in that had defined their relationship over the past year.
Fiki was aboard the tanker Honour 25, transiting from Oman toward Somali waters. “I asked him, ‘Where are you, son?’ and he told me he was heading to Somalia,” Aat recalled. “He just said, ‘Mom, please pray that I return to Indonesia safely.'”
By Friday, Aat’s anxiety began to mount. When her messages went unanswered and Fiki’s phone remained inactive, she initially hoped it was just a lack of signal. The devastating truth arrived later that day when friends sent her news links detailing the hijacking. The news left her shattered. Through social media, she managed to connect with the family of Captain Ashari Samadikun, the commander of the hijacked tanker, who provided some solace by confirming that the crew remained healthy and were being allowed to pray and eat together.
Fiki is Aat’s second child, and he has long been the family’s pillar of strength. Since losing his father in elementary school, Fiki took on the responsibility of supporting his younger siblings. He had dreams of continuing his maritime studies in Jakarta and vowed that once he returned, his mother would no longer have to work as a domestic helper.
‘We planned to get married next year’
According to his contract, Fiki was due to return to Indonesia this month. His girlfriend, Kartika Sari, is now left in a state of suspended animation. “We had planned to get married next year,” she said. Despite the tragedy, Tika remains resilient. “I believe Fiki will come home safely and that this won’t derail our plans.”
Their relationship had not been without debate over his choice of career. Tika initially harbored reservations due to the inherent dangers of the sea, but Fiki’s unwavering passion convinced her to support his decision to attend maritime school. Now, the kidnapping has forced a somber reassessment of his path.
‘A tough sailor is not made in calm waters’
Wawan Gunawan, Fiki’s uncle and a sailor with nearly two decades of experience, was the last family member to speak with him. “He told me, ‘Uncle, I have to hang up, we are being boarded,'” Wawan recounted. Initially, he thought it was a joke, but the line went dead.
Wawan, who currently works as a boatswain, noted that the ship’s management is responsible for negotiating the crew’s release. He shared that Fiki had been determined to follow in his footsteps, despite being scammed by a fake recruitment agency on Instagram earlier in 2025—an ordeal that led him to seek work through Wawan’s network in Dubai instead.
Reflecting on the risks, Wawan remains optimistic about his nephew’s character. “A tough sailor is not made in calm waters. Fiki is strong, enthusiastic, and optimistic. I don’t think this experience will break his spirit.”
Wawan himself survived a close call in 2010. When approached by pirates, he used his knowledge of Arabic to de-escalate the situation, eventually giving them several cartons of cigarettes to secure their departure. He believes that the shared faith of many Somali pirates and their potential targets can sometimes influence these volatile encounters, though he stresses that modern maritime security has become significantly more complex.
The Resurgence of Somali Piracy
The motives behind Somali piracy remain fundamentally economic: seize ships, hold crews hostage, and demand ransoms. While piracy peaked in the mid-2000s and saw a significant decline after 2012 due to international naval patrols, there has been a concerning resurgence. Reports indicate a rise from just six incidents in 2023 to 22 in 2024, a trend that has continued into 2026 according to the International Maritime Bureau.
Experts suggest that this resurgence is fueled by a mix of illegal foreign fishing, which disrupts local livelihoods, and geopolitical conflicts that have diverted the attention of international patrol forces. Pirates have become increasingly sophisticated, using “motherships” to deploy speedboats for swift, random, and repeated attacks.
The Threats to the Hostages
The conditions for the crew of the Honour 25 are dire. With 17 crew members—including four Indonesians—crammed into a small cabin, the psychological and physical toll is immense. While the primary goal of the pirates is financial, the history of Somali piracy is stained with violence. During the peak years, many hostages suffered from malnutrition, disease, and physical abuse.
Luthfian Haekal, a human rights manager at Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Indonesia, warns that the nature of piracy has shifted toward more efficient targeting of slower vessels with minimal security. He emphasizes that the crew is being treated as a “bargaining commodity.” Haekal calls for a three-pronged approach to the crisis: prevention through strict maritime protocols, intervention through professional negotiation, and international legal cooperation to dismantle the criminal networks behind the hijackings.
As Fiki’s 25th birthday on May 27 approaches, his family remains caught in a painful limbo. His girlfriend has a gift hidden away, and his mother continues to offer silent prayers. Their hope is singular and profound: a safe return for the young man who dreamed of the ocean, only to find himself its captive.
Summary
Fiki Mutakim, a 24-year-old