Pirates seize RP tanker, 23 Pinoy seamen near Somalia

(UPDATED) MANILA, Philippines - Pirates have hijacked a Philippines chemical tanker with 23 crew members near Somalia, officials said on Tuesday. Acting Philippine Foreign Secretary Esteban Conejos said the Philippine-flagged and operated chemical tanker MT Stolt Strength was hijacked on Monday . Citing reports from Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, Conejos said the ship operator confirmed that tanker's crew were all Filipinos. Spokesman Claro Cristobal of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said all crew members were reported unharmed. He said the DFA is coordinating with the ship owner to secure the early and safe release of vessel and its crew. Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau earlier said the ship was heading to Asia when it was seized Monday in the Gulf of Aden by pirates armed with automatic weapons and RPGs or rocket-propelled grenades. The bureau has issued an urgent warning to ships to take extra measures to deter pirates. No further details were immediately available. The Gulf of Aden, an important waterway in the Horn of Africa, has seen a recent spate of piracy incident this year, owing to its proximity to unruly Somalia where sea bandits often hijack vessels passing through. The attack comes despite increased international cooperation to crack down on pirates in the Gulf of Aden. MT Stolt Strength’s hijacking brought the number of attacks in the area this year to 83, with 33 ships hijacked. Choong says 12 remain in the hands of pirates along with more than 200 crew members. The latest hijacking also raised the number of Filipino seamen being held by pirates in North Africa to 89. From July to October this year, the DFA has recorded 127 Filipino seamen on board 11 ships who were hijacked in the Gulf of Aden. Of the number, 61 have been released so far, including the body of one who was killed in an accident in August when pirates boarded the Malaysian ship M/T Melati Bunga Dua. Cristobal said there are still 66 other Filipinos who are still held by the pirates on board five ships. These are the: • MT African Sanderling, a Panama-flagged, Korea-owned, Japanese-operated bulk carrier, with 21 Filipinos, seized on Oct. 15; • MT Stolt Valor, a Hong Kong chemical tanker with two Filipinos and 31 other nationals, seized on Sept. 15; • MV Centauri, a Greek-owned tanker with 26 all-Filipino crew members, seized on September 17; and • MV Capt Stephanos, Greek-owned ship, with 17 Filipino seafarers on board, seized on September 21. Because of the hijackings, the Department of Labor and Employment declared the Gulf of Aden as a high-risk zone and ordered ship owners to double the hazard pay of Filipino seafarers crossing these areas. Likewise, Filipino seamen were given the option to disembark from the ship should they decide not to continue with the voyage because of the risks involved. The Philippines supplies one-third of the world’s shipping manpower with about 270,000 Filipino seamen employed by foreign maritime agencies, making them the most vulnerable and prone to pirate attacks. Another attack Choong of International Maritime Bureau said there was an attempted attack on Monday on a refrigerated cargo ship in eastern Somalia, but the vessel managed to escape with evasive maneuvering. The ship flies a Saudi flag but is operated out of Britain. Separately, the Indian navy said its marine commandos operating from a warship prevented pirates from hijacking an Indian merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday. Choong said the bureau was still verifying the attack with the Indian ship owner. He said there were several other attempted attacks Tuesday, but details are still being ascertained. The bureau has issued an urgent warning to ships to take extra measures to deter pirates even while sailing in a corridor of the gulf patrolled by a multinational naval force. "The corridor is protected, but safe passage is not 100 percent guaranteed. The patrol boats cannot be everywhere at the same time. The ship master must maintain a strict radar watch for pirates," he said. Many ships have managed to fend off pirate attacks after seeking help from the coalition forces, he added. NATO has sent three ships to the Gulf of Aden - one of the world's busiest shipping lanes - to help the US Navy in anti-piracy patrols and to escort cargo vessels. The European Union has said at least four warships backed by aircraft will begin policing the dangerous waters in December. The EU flotilla will eventually take over the NATO patrols. Despite the increased security, attacks have continued unabated off Somalia, which is caught up in an Islamic insurgency and has had no functioning government since 1991. - Kimberly Jane Tan, GMANews.TV, with a report from AP