Pirates kidnap 17 Pinoy seamen

MANILA, Philippines –  Seventeen Filipinos are among the crewmembers of a Greek-flagged supertanker captured by Somali pirates off the coast of Oman on Wednesday.

The Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) said armed pirates seized the M/V Irene SL tanker, carrying about $200 million worth of crude oil. The tanker was sailing from the Arabian Gulf to the Gulf of Mexico.

The CMF said the M/V Irene SL had gone missing 220 nautical miles from Oman. Lieutenant Commander Susie Thomson of the CMF, a coalition of 25 navies patrolling the maritime areas of the region, said the missing ship’s last port of call was Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to confirm that Filipino seamen were among the crewmembers of the hijacked ship.

The DFA said Tuesday that Filipino seafarer Farolito Vallega, a crewmember of M/V Beluga Nomination, was killed in a “fit of anger” by Somali pirates on Jan. 26 after two anti-piracy naval patrol vessels attempted a rescue mission of the ship on Jan. 24. “We condemn in no uncertain terms the killing of Mr. Farolito Vallega, a man who was merely doing his job and making an honest living for his family. His death is an unspeakable crime against an innocent person and adds to the list of heinous crimes already committed by these pirates. We wish to convey our deepest condolences to his family,” the DFA said.

Citing a report by the ship’s manning agency, the DFA said Filipino seafarer Ferdinand Aquino and a Ukrainian jumped overboard and were eventually rescued by a Danish frigate. Another Filipino seafarer, Elviro Salazar, was reported missing.

The German-owned M/V Beluga Nomination was hijacked by Somali pirates 390 nautical miles north of Port Victoria in the Seychelles on Jan. 22. The ship had 12 crewmembers, including seven Filipinos. The other crewmembers are of Russian, Ukrainian and Polish descent.

The DFA called on all concerned parties to release the Filipinos and other seafarers of different nationalities, and stated that it strongly supports measures that will further protect Filipino seafarers.

“The DFA supports more robust international action against piracy. We also call on vessel owners to adopt best management practices to deter piracy attacks,” it said.

There are 121 Filipino seafarers on 11 vessels being held by Somali pirates. –Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)