Pirates free 19 Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday announced the release of the chemical tanker MT Bow Asir and its crew, including 19 Filipino seamen, last April 10.

In a text message to reporters, DFA spokesman Ed Malaya said the Philippine embassy in Nairobi, Kenya reported that the 23-ton ship, managed by Norway’s Salhus Shipping, was now steaming to safety off Somali waters.

“We thank the Salhus Shipping, the Norwegian government and other parties for working for the expeditious release and repatriation of Bow Asir and its crew,” Malaya said.

He said that Salhus Shipping focused on the crew’s safety and even sent a senior official to Manila to meet and assure family members of the Filipino crew of their safety.

“We thank all of them for the early resolution of the incident,” Malaya added.

The Bow Asir, a Norwegian-owned and Bahamian-registered ship had a full cargo of caustic soda when it was seized by pirates on March 9 this year 250 miles east of the coast of Somalia. It had a crew of 27 – 19 Filipinos, five Polish, a Norwegian, a Lithuanian and a Russian.

With the release of Bow Asia, the number of Filipino seafarers in captivity is down to 98, involving six vessels. - Cynthia D. Balana, Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 12, 2009