Philippine News Agency
17 Filipino sailors in hijacked ship ‘safe’ – DFA
Seventeen Filipino seafarers are among the hostages taken by Houthi rebels when they seized the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the southern Red Sea on November 19.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed the nationality of the hostages, stating the 17 Filipinos were confirmed by the manning agency.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega assured that the seafarers are safe and not being physically harmed, with Houthi rebels indicating no intention to hurt them.
Some of the Filipino hostages have been able to contact their families, an indication that they are safe, though communication is not consistent.
The Houthi rebels hijacked the ship, believing it to be Israeli-owned, though it is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese firm.
The Philippine government is optimistic that the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas will lead to the release of the hostages.
The DFA is coordinating with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and foreign governments for their immediate release, hopefully within the month or before Christmas.
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Seventeen Filipino seafarers on a cargo ship seized by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea are in good condition and the Philippine government is exhausting all measures to bring them home safely.
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President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assured that the Philippine government is exerting all efforts to ensure the safety of 17 Filipino seafarers held hostage by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
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The Philippine government is actively employing all diplomatic avenues to secure the release of 17 Filipino seafarers abducted by the Houthi rebel group in the Red Sea.
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Two Filipino seafarers aboard the chemical tanker M/V Central Park are safe after a hijacking attempt in the Gulf of Aden was thwarted by the United States Navy.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expects the swift release of two Filipinos possibly held hostage by Hamas, contingent on a truce deal between the militant group and Israel.
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