Somali pirates seized on Saturday a Panama-flagged tanker with at least 16 Filipinos onboard, European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) said this weekend.
According to EU NAVFOR, the 16 Filipinos were among a crew of 24 serving aboard the Liberian-owned m/v Polar.
“The m/v Polar, deadweight 72,825 tons, has a crew of 24, of which 1 is Romanian, 3 are Greek, 4 Montenegrin, and 16 Filipino," it said.
EU NAVFOR said the attack occurred some 580 nautical miles (or almost 1,100 kilometers) east of Socotra island in the Indian Ocean.
EU NAVFOR, which deters and disrupts piracy, protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
A separate report on state-run Philippines News Agency said more crew members have successfully repelled more attacks, making it harder for pirates to capture ships and earn multimillion-dollar ransoms.
The report however said the pirates have responded more violently, prompting many ship owners to invest in physical defenses like stringing razor wire and adding fire hoses that can hit attackers with streams of high-pressure water.
Some ships are even having electric fence-style systems installed, it added.
On Oct. 23, Somali pirates also seized a Singaporean liquefied petroleum gas tanker with 14 Filipino crew members off Kenya.
To date, there are more than 100 Filipino seamen being held captive by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, according to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.
Of the estimated 1,200,000 seafarers worldwide, more than 300,000 are Filipinos, according to the Apostleship of the Sea, a UK-based advocacy group. — JE/VS, GMANews.TV
No comments:
Post a Comment