Two more Filipino sailors seized by pirates in Togo


Two more Filipino sailors were abducted by pirates in West Africa, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.
The DFA said the Filipinos were seized in Togo a week after nine seafarers from the Philippines were kidnapped in neighboring African state of Benin.
This latest incident brings to 11 the total number of Filipinos being held in West Africa.
"The Philippine government is actively tracking the development of the case with the embassy in Abuja continuing its coordination with relevant authorities to ensure the safety and security of the Filipino seafarers," the DFA said in a statement.
Philippine officials are also in close contact with the seamen's manning agency and their immediate family for updates on the case.
Piracy and ransom kidnappings of Filipino sailors by pirates in the dangerous African waters have long been a problem for the Philippine government as they lack the capacity to monitor their movements when at sea.
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest providers of shipping manpower in the world.
A bulk of Filipino seamen or more than 20 percent of the world’s 1.2 million sailors are manning oil tankers, luxury liners, and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing them to piracy attacks. —NB, GMA News

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