The Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said efforts are in progress to secure the safe release of four Filipino crew members of a chemical tanker who were among those being held captive by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea on March 11.
“Families have been informed and the efforts are under way to secure the crew members’ safe release,” DFA Executive Director for Strategic Communications Ivy Banzon-Abalos said in a text message to reporters.
She made the statement following reports that the ship manager of the Chemical tanker MT Davide B had made contact with the 15 crew members kidnapped by the pirates.
Reports quoting De Poli Ship management confirmed that the crew were together and “doing well under the difficult circumstances.”
The crew of the chemical tanker were abducted in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 210 nautical miles south of Cotonou, Benin.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Italy-based De Poli Shipmanagement expressed its commitment to do everything possible to secure the earliest and safe release of its seafarers, which remains its “overriding priority.”
The MT Davide B was en route from Riga, Latvia, to Lagos, Nigeria, when attacked by the pirates. The tanker is flying the Maltese flag.
Reports also indicated that the company had been in touch with the families of the kidnapped seafarers and had provided them with updates on the situation.