18 Pinoy seamen aboard hijacked cargo vessel released

At least 18 Filipino seamen and one Greek crew member aboard a hijacked cargo vessel have been freed after the ship owner paid ransom, Radio dzBB reported Monday. They had been in captivity for two months. The crew members of the MV Navios Apollon were taken when the ship was overrun by Somali pirates last December 28, 2009. The cargo vessel was hijacked off Seychelles Island while heading for India from the United States. The cargo vessel was hijacked about 240 nautical miles ease of Seychelles Island while heading for India from the United States with a cargo of fertilizer. The dzBB report said the crew members were in relatively good condition. The Department of Foreign Affairs added in a release posted on its website that the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs has coordinated with the vessel’s local manning agency. The agency has confirmed that all the seafarers are in good health and on their way to a port in Oman. Meanwhile, as stated in the DFA release, the ship owner is also arranging the crew’s repatriation to the Philippines. Just last month, they were still counted among the Filipino seafarers held captive by pirates. To date, the DFA said there are five Filipino seafarers still in captivity off Somalia on two vessels – two aboard the Thai Union 3 and three aboard the MV St. James Park. This is the lowest number of Filipino seafarers in custody of Somali pirates in recent times, according to the DFA. - with additional reports from Jerrie M. Abella/FVI, GMANews.TV