Somali pirates seized a Greek-owned, Liberia-flagged bulk carrier with 21 Filipino crew members aboard this week, a Somalia-based news site reported Friday (Manila time).
The pirates hijacked the "MV Free Goddess" while it was heading from Singapore to Egypt, according to an article on the news site Somalia Report.
Citing pirates and diplomatic sources, the Somalia Report account said the bulk carrier had 21 Filipino crew members when it was seized in the Arabian Sea at 1438 UTC on Tuesday, or 10:38 p.m. Manila time.
At the time, the ship was carrying a cargo of steel cable, the report added.
It also quoted informed sources close to Somali piracy circles as saying the ship was pirated by the Harardheere-based pirate group under Abdhulkadir Mohamed Afwenye.
“Pirates hijacked a new vessel. They called their friends here in Harardheere and said they are on their way to the Somali coast,” it quoted a pirate as saying.
Another pirate in Garacad said the perpetrators are based in Harardheere and from the Hawiye clan.
The second pirate said "investors" are preparing to welcome the new hijacked vessel in Harardheere area.
The Somalia Report cited data from Neptune Maritime Security indicating the ship "dramatically altered course" and is heading towards the Somali coast.
It said MV Free Goddess is worth over $8 million, and is owned by Free Seas Inc.
Other piracy victims
In an interview early last month, DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said there were some 26 Filipinos on three captive vessels. The 21 just captured balloons the total to 47 in the hands of pirates.
Hernandez has not commented yet on the new incident.
Reports show that one of the latest incidents involving Filipino seafarers happened in early November last year, when Somali pirates seized a Greek-owned chemical tanker with 21 Filipinos on board.
A day after that, Somali pirates released an Algerian-owned ship with two Filipino crew members, after the ship owners paid $2 million in ransom.
Posted by Rose-An Jessica Dioquino, LBG/VVP/HS, GMA News
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