DFA: 14 Pinoy seafarers freed from pirates return home

At least 14 Filipino seafarers who regained their freedom after pirates released their ship arrived home Thursday afternoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday. The DFA said the 14, crewmembers of the MT York that was released on March 9, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) via Qatar Airways. "Upon their arrival in the port of Mombasa, the Filipino seafarers underwent a medical check-up. The local manning agency representatives brought the Filipino seafarers to a hotel where they were reunited with their families," the DFA said in a news release posted on its website. Accompanying them during their trip home were representatives of the vessel's principal and local manning agency. On hand to welcome them were representatives from the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, led by Legal Officers Dennis Bregala and Emily Villanueva. Somali pirates hijacked the Singaporean-flagged and Greek-owned chemical tanker on October 24, 2010 at about 90 nautical miles from Mombasa, Kenya. With the development, the DFA said there are 107 Filipino seafarers onboard 10 vessels held captive by pirates. The DFA said the Philippine government has undertaken measures to minimize the exposure of Filipino seafarers to piracy attacks. These measures include: