4 Filipinos are on Portuguese container ship hijacked by Iran, says DMW

In this Sunday, July 21, 2019 file photo, two armed members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard inspect the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday by the Guard, in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. Global stock markets were subdued Monday while the price of oil climbed as tensions in the Persian Gulf escalated after Iran’s seizure of a British oil tanker on Friday. (Morteza Akhoondi/Mehr News Agency via AP)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) revealed that four Filipinos are aboard the Portuguese container ship MSC Aries, which was seized by Iranian authorities near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

Strait of Hormuz is located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in the Middle East.

DMW said in a statement on Sunday it is talking about concerns on the safety of the Filipinos with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the licensed manning agency (LMA) – the employment agency of the seafarers, among others.

“Upon directive of the President, we are in touch with the families of our dear seafarers and have assured them of full government support and assistance,” the department said.

“We are also in coordination with the DFA, the LMA,  ship manager, and operator to ensure the safety and well-being, as well as work on the release of our dear seafarers,” it added.

DFA, on the other hand, said there is “no word on raising of alert level yet” in Iran, where about 2,000 Filipinos are residing.

Citing Iran’s state agency, a report from Reuters revealed that MSC Aries vessel was “linked to Israel.”