Pirates take hostage 10 Filipino seafarers from 2 vessels

Ten Filipino seamen were taken hostage by pirates who hijacked two vessels in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Wednesday.

In a statement, the DFA, citing a report of Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria Shirley Ho-Vicario to Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., said two Filipinos on board a Liberian-flagged container ship were among 11 crewmen kidnapped by pirates who boarded their vessel on Saturday last week.

Vicario said another eight Filipino seafarers on a Panamanian-registered tanker were missing after their vessel was hijacked by pirates on Monday.

“Ambassador Vicario said the embassy is exerting efforts to establish the whereabouts of the 10 seafarers and secure their release,” the DFA said. —Jerome Aning