10 Filipino seafarers kidnapped in Gulf of Guinea

10 Filipino seafarers kidnapped in Gulf of Guinea
Paterno Esmaquel II 31 Oct 2018 https://www.rappler.com/nation/215679-filipino-seafarers-kidnapped-guine...

The 10 Filipino seafarers were kidnapped in two separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, says the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs

MANILA, Philippines – Suspected pirates kidnapped 10 Filipino seafarers aboard two separate vessels in the Gulf of Guinea, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday, October 31.

Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria Shirley Ho Vicario reported this information to Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr on Wednesday.

The 10 Filipino seafarers were kidnapped in two separate incidents the past few days.

Two of these Filipinos were abducted aboard a Liberian-flagged container ship on Saturday, October 27. They "were among 11 crew members kidnapped by pirates who boarded their vessel on Saturday."

Two days later, the vessel of 8 other Filipino seafarers "was hijacked by pirates on Monday, October 29." They "remain unaccounted for," along with crew members of other nationalities.

Vicario said the Philippine embassy "is exerting efforts to establish the whereabouts of the 10 seafarers and secure their safe release."

This comes after the DFA confirmed on Tuesday, October 30, that kidnappers have released 7 Filipino seafarers abducted in Nigeria in September.

The DFA said that "it was not immediately clear if the seafarers were taken by the same group of pirates who abducted 7 Filipinos on board a Swiss-flagged vessel off Nigerian waters last month." – Rappler.com