Twenty Filipino seamen were among those on board a ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia as it was sailing to the Gulf of Aden, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said the local manning agency of the crew members, a Japanese firm, has established contact with the victims and has assured that all 20 Filipinos were "safe and sound," Philippine news network Inquirer.net reported.
MV Stella Maris was drifting towards the Gulf of Aden when it was seized Sunday, Conejos said. The vessel was said to be carrying lead and zinc.
The Undersecretary said the Department of Foreign Affairs emphasized to the local manning agency the need to ensure the safe release of the Filipinos at the soonest possible time.
But he said that the Philippine government ruled out paying a ransom to free the Filipino hostages.
"I stressed to the local manning agent that it is the policy of government never to negotiate with pirates. We look towards the local manning agents and the ship owner and the host country because they have the responsibility to ensure the safety and the earliest release of the crew," he said.
The waters off Somalia, which has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years, are considered to be among the most dangerous in the world. The International Maritime Bureau said more than 25 ships were seized off Somalia's 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) of coastline last year despite patrols by an international force.
On May 25, five Filipino seafarers were also held hostage after their ship, MV Amiya Scan, was hijacked by pirates on May 25 in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel and its passengers were released by pirates 30 days later.
Source:Xinhua
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