Somali Pirates

Working in a manning agency makes me aware of the conditions, sacrifices and dangers that seafarers in general face while on board ocean-going vessels. And boy these sacrifices are no laughing matter. They go months on board without their families (loved ones) and facing all types of natural and man-made threats and dangers. And one of the on-going problems that seafarers, their families, and even employers/p[principals are facing is the threat of piracy on the high seas. And just recently was another vessel-hostage taking incident off the Gulf of Aden with 20 Filipino seafarers on board.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is currently coordinating with the local manning agency of the 20 Filipino seafarers kidnapped by Somali pirates in the coastal city of Mombasa in Kenya.

In a press statement, the DFA said the Pinoys were abroad the MV Izumi, a Panamanian-flagged merchant vessel owned by Japanese shipping company NYK-Hinode Line Ltd.

The ship was travelling to Japan from Mombasa when it was hijacked by Somali pirates on October 10.

The DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (OUMWA) said it is working to secure the safe and early release of the seafarers.

DFA-OUMWA also instructed the Philippine Embassies in Nairobi and Manama to monitor the situation and coordinate with the Combined Task Force based in Manama, as well as the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo to keep track of the negotiations being undertaken by the vessel's principal, Fair Field Shipping Corp.

To date, there are 101 Filipino seamen on board 7 vessels still held captive by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. -abs-cbnNEWS.com