The Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday the safe return to Manila of all 18 Filipino crew members of the oil tanker MV St. Nikolas that Iran seized in the Gulf of Oman in January.

DFA Assistant Secretary Arvin de Leon told reporters, “They were repatriated in batches, including the final group of six that arrived in Manila last week.”

“The Philippine government thanks the authorities of Iran for their understanding in this matter and appreciates the work of the manning agency, which made this possible,” he added.

Iran’s navy had boarded St. Nikolas, which was carrying 19 crew, off the coast of Oman. The only Greek crew member was released the following week.

Tehran began freeing the Filipino crew in batches at the end of January after a replacement crew was hired from Russia and other countries.

“They were not hostages... but they were not allowed to leave without replacements,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega was quoted in an Agence France-Presse report.

The Marshall Islands-flagged ship was carrying 145,000 tons of oil from Iraq and heading to Turkey when it was seized. It has been anchored near the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.

Iran’s state media has said the seizure was in retaliation to the “theft” of Iranian oil by the United States from the same tanker, at the time named the Suez Rajan.

Meanwhile, De Leon said the DFA is working with the relevant agencies for the release of the 17 Filipino seafarers still held captive in the Red Sea.