Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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MANILA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government on Wednesday confirmed that 15 Filipino sailors who were on board a Greek-owned cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates have been released. The Department of Foreign Affairs described the crewmen "well and in good condition" after almost one month in captivity.
According to the department, the ship's local manning agency is already arranging the repatriation of the Filipino seafarers to the Philippines.
MV Patriot, hijacked by pirates on April 25, has a crew of 15 Filipinos, 17 Ukrainians, and one Pole.
The vessel's release brought down the number of Filipino seafarers in the hands of African pirates to 44, the Philippine government said.
The government maintained that it does not negotiate nor pay ransom to kidnappers as a policy, but gives ship owners the free hand in negotiating for the release of abducted Filipino sailors.
To date, the Philippines is the world's leading supplier of crew, with over 350,000 sailors manning oil tankers, luxury liners and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing them to piracy attacks.
Since 2008, more than 200 Filipino sailors have been abducted by pirates off Somalia. Despite the risks, private companies still see the seas surrounding the Horn of Africa as a cost-effective means for moving goods with as many as 20,000 ships traveling these waters annually.
Source: Xinhua, May 20, 2009