DFA confirms Pinoy seafarer among those seized in Somalia

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that a Filipino seafarer was among those seized in the March 29 hijacking of MV Iceberg 1, some 10 nautical miles from Aden Port in the Gulf of Aden.

The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, through the DFA reported this on Wednesday.

The DFA said that its Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (OUMWA) is coordinating with the vessel's principal and local manning agency.

"OUMWA will continue to coordinate with the manning agency of the vessel and the Philippine Embassies concerned for the resolution of the case," DFA Undersecretary Esteban B. Conejos, Jr. said in a statement.

The Panamanian-flagged vessel was carrying 24 crew members from Yemen, Pakistan, Ghana, India, Sudan, and the Philippines.

It was not immediately clear, however, how many Filipinos were onboard.

The DFA reported that there are now five Filipino seafarers, on board three vessels, held captive by Somali pirates. [See: Somali pirates hijack vessel with Filipino crew] - Nikka Corsino/LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

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