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Somali pirates release 21 crew of RP ship

01/14/2009

Pirates have released all 21 Filipino crew members of a ship hijacked off Somalia three months ago, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

Their Philippine-operated bulk carrier that was seized last Oct. 15 was also released.

“Yesterday the M/V African Sanderling with a total Filipino crew of 21 was released in Somalia,” DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos told reporters.

Twenty-three other Filipinos from two other hijacked ships were freed last weekend, Conejos said, naming the vessels as the Saudi oil tanker Sirius Star and the Delight.

“We have now 44 seamen on three ships in Somalia with the three successive releases. They’re all being taken care of. They are all in good condition,” he added.

Conejos said he had no information about the details of their release, while stressing that Manila did not countenance ransom.

According to sources close to the pirates, $# million in ransom was paid to free the 330-meter Sirius Star, which was captured by pirates on Nov. 15 with two million barrels of crude oil.

Vice President and presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) Noli de Castro said the 21 Filipino seamen released are all safe.

“I requested a report from the manning agency in the Philippines and it said the master of the ship declared that ‘everybody is safe.’ This is good news for everybody, especially to the families of the victims,” De Castro said.

Last Oct. 14, M/T African Sanderling, a Panama-flag vessel owned by a Japanese company with 21 Filipino seamen in her crew, was hijacked by Somali pirates.

The Vice President said the M/T Sanderling is out of Somali waters and now on its way to Oman Shalala port.

“From Oman, they will be debriefed prior to flying home to Manila,” he said.

De Castro reiterated his call to international shipping companies to take extra precautionary measures and to strictly follow the directive to limit voyages to the “safe zone” or the Maritime Security Patrol Area while passing the Gulf of Aden.

AFP