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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

17 Filipino seafarers held hostage by Houthis return home

After months of being held hostage by Houthi rebels in Yemen since November 2023, the 17 Filipino seafarers of M/V Galaxy Leader finally returned to the Philippines, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced.  

The crew arrived on Thursday evening at NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City via Oman Air Flight 843, landing at 9:31 PM.

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The release of the hostages was part of efforts to de-escalate tensions following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

“The immediate repatriation and provision of comprehensive assistance and support to the Filipino seafarers is a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., under a one-team approach of ensuring better protection and welfare of Filipino seafarers and their families,” the DMW stated.

It emphasized that the safe release of the captives was the result of collective efforts and the government’s unwavering commitment to protecting Filipino seafarers.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman for their successful mediation, as well as all government agencies, private partners, and international entities,” the DMW said.

“To the families, we express our admiration for your unwavering strength and trust in the Philippine government. For more than a year, we were with you throughout this journey as directed by the President. Your steadfast hope strengthened our efforts to secure this momentous outcome,” it added. 

The US State Department also welcomed this “long overdue” development and denounced the “unlawful detention” carried out by the Houthis.

“The Houthis endangered the lives of seafarers, hindered the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance, and harmed economies across the region,” the State Department said.

The US called on the Houthis to “cease all attacks” and to immediately release hundreds of other detainees.

“Within Yemen, the Houthis continue to round up and detain hundreds of local staff members of the UN, NGOs, and diplomatic missions under abysmal conditions, including dozens of current and former Yemeni staff of the United States government unlawfully held based on false accusations,” it added.

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