Somali pirates release 21 RP seafarers - DFA exec

(Updated 12:24 a.m) MANILA, Philippines – A total of 21 Filipino seafarers onboard a Japanese bulk ship were freed after 89 days in captivity by Somali pirates, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday. This latest development brings to 50 the number of Filipinos still with Somali pirates. In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said the released Filipino seamen were part of the crew of MT African Sanderling that was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on Oct. 15, 2008. As of posting time, Conejos said authorities are still verifying when the seafarers were released, to whom they were turned over, and what their present condition is. However, a report on dzBB said the Filipino seamen were released in good condition and were being prepared for repatriation to the country. For his part, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Bayani Mangibin clarified that the information was reported to them by the ship’s manning agency. “We are still verifying the reports," Mangibin told GMANews.TV. If confirmed, the MT African Sanderling will be the 13th vessel with Filipino crew members that was freed by Somali pirates. A total of 17 vessels - ranging from small fishing boats to huge oil supertankers – with 208 Filipino seafarers on board have been hijacked by Somali pirates since April 2008. Last Friday, Somali pirates released 19 Filipino crew members of the oil tanker MV Sirius Star that was hijacked Nov. 15, 2008. The release MV Sirius Star and MT African Sanderling’s crew members brings to 50 the number of Filipino seafarers still held captive by Somali pirates. The remaining captives belong to the crew of MT Stolt Strength (hijacked November 11), Tianyu No. 8 (hijacked November 14), MV Chemstar Venus (hijacked November 16), and MV Delight (hijacked November 18). The attacks on ships off the coast of Somalia mostly occurred in the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, is one of the world's busiest waterways. Some 20,000 ships pass through it each year. 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. - with Mark Ubalde, GMANews.TV