Somali pirates release ship, 20 Pinoy seafarers

Somali pirates on Saturday released a Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel with 20 Filipino seafarers held captive for over four months, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). In a statement Monday, the DFA said the Filipinos on board Japanese-owned MV Izumi are now heading to Mombasa in Kenya, where thy will be repatriated to Manila. Combined Maritime Forces Armed Forces of the Philippines Liaison Officer Captain Gaudencio Collado and the local manning agency, Marsun Shipping, has confirmed that the Izumi was released, the DFA said. MV Izumi was hijacked by Somali pirates on Oct. 10, 2010 while on its way from Japan to the Port of Mombasa. DFA records show there are 118 Filipino seafarers on board 11 vessels being held captive by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. "The Philippine government has undertaken measures to minimize the exposure of Filipino seafarers to piracy attacks, including making arrangements with ship principals and manning agencies for vessels to travel along a safety corridor and to adopt best management practices as a deterrence to piracy attacks," the DFA said. It added that the Philippine government has likewise taken up the issue of maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Aden and in the Indian Ocean before the United Nations and other international organizations. Last Jan. 26, Somali pirates shot and killed Farolito Vallega onboard the MV Beluga Nomination, a German-owned cargo ship the pirates hijacked off the coast of Seychelles on Jan. 22. — With Jerrie Abella/ VS, GMA News