Pinoy seafarers rescued

Filipino seafarers were among the crew of an Israeli-linked tanker rescued by American and coalition forces after their vessel was seized off Yemen Sunday, US authorities confirmed yesterday.

"There are indications that an unknown number of unidentified armed individuals seized the M/V Central Park in the Gulf of Aden on 26 November," a US defense official told Agence France-Presse.

In Manila, Department of Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac told reporters the Philippine government was still verifying on Tuesday reports that Filipinos were among the Central Park's crew.

"Currently, we are still asking for official confirmation regarding this incident. Of course, there are initial reports coming in and there are social media posts as well," said Cacdac in an interview.

"That is why we are still gathering information and confirming this incident," he added.

Maritime security firm Ambrey said that "US naval forces are engaged in the situation" involving Central Park, which is owned and managed by a UK-based Israel-linked company.

Later, another US defense official told AFP that US and coalition forces responded to the emergency aboard the tanker and that "the crew of the M/V Central Park is currently safe." It was not immediately clear if the crew remained aboard the vessel or the ship's location.

Owner Zodiac Maritime said that among the 22 crew were Russian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, Indian, Georgian and Filipino nationals, as well as the Turkish captain, according to Ambrey.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels had earlier threatened to attack the tanker if it did not divert to the port of Hodeida, it said.

Drone attack

Communications from a US coalition warship had been intercepted telling Central Park to disregard the Houthi messages, Ambrey added.

The boarding took place offshore from the Yemeni port city of Aden, with another vessel in the area reporting "an approach by eight persons on two skiffs wearing military uniforms," Ambrey said.

The latest incident comes after a US defense official said an Israeli-owned cargo ship was damaged in a suspected Iranian drone attack in the Indian Ocean on Friday, a week after Houthis seized another Israel-linked cargo vessel in the southern Red Sea.

Imee urges long-term strategy

Reacting to the latest attack on a commercial vessel, Senator Imee Marcos pressed the Philippine government to come up with a long-term strategy to protect Filipino seafarers and to negotiate the release of those who have been abducted.

"There's no end in sight to this conflict, and more Filipino seafarers could become collateral damage. The ongoing truce to release hostages on both sides is temporary," she said.

Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that 17 Filipino seafarers were among the crewmen being held hostage by the Houthi rebels who seized a Japan-operated cargo ship, the Galaxy Leader, in the Red Sea.

"There is already coordination with foreign governments that may help secure the release of the Filipino crew of Galaxy Leader," Cacdac said. "Efforts are ongoing to rescue and repatriate safely our seafarers. Again, the situation is delicate."

The DFA reported over the weekend that the 17 Filipinos were "fine."

 "The good news is that we do know that our seafarers are fine and that the Houthi rebels have been indicating consistently that they do not intend to harm them," DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said.

According to De Vega, the Filipino seafarers were taken to Yemen but were released later by the Houthis.

 De Vega said the Philippine government is hopeful the four-day truce between Israel and the militant group Hamas that began on Friday will also lead to the release of the hostages on the ship.

Higher risks

Marcos warned that Filipino seafarers now face higher risks as Israel's attacks in Gaza could draw in more militant groups seeking to avenge the deaths of thousands of Palestinians.

Filipino seafarers make up 25 percent of the global maritime industry, serving on both cargo and cruise ships.

The Houthis, declaring themselves part of the "axis of resistance" of Iran-affiliated groups, have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel since the unprecedented 7 October attack by Hamas militants on Israel.

Israel has vowed to "crush" the Islamist group which controls the Gaza Strip, after the Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 240 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.          

With AFP