DFA lauds German ship for fending off pirates

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) lauded yesterday the measures undertaken by a German-owned cargo vessel, with eight Filipino crewmembers, which managed to repel a pirate attack through what the DFA described as “best practices.”

Somali pirates boarded M/V Beluga Fortune that had 16 crewmembers, including eight Filipinos, on Oct. 24 while the vessel was sailing in the Indian Ocean en route to Richards Bay, South Africa.

The crewmembers sent out a distress call, cut off the ship’s fuel supply, shut down all the power on the bridge and hid in a safe room before the pirates could overwhelm them. The crew hid below deck for two days.

Unable to take charge of the ship or hold any crewmember hostage, the pirates were forced to abandon the vessel after stealing some personal belongings of the crew that were left inside the cabins.

“The adoption of best practices by the seafarers saved them from being held captive by the pirates, which shows how important it is that seafarers and vessel owners adopt these practices as safety measures against attacks,” said DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos.

The DFA said a seafarer also called the local manning agency and reported what happened, which also helped in alerting American and British naval ships in the area. The vessels escorted the Beluga Fortune to safety as it proceeded towards Richards Bay.

The DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) coordinated with the local manning agency regarding the seafarers’ condition.

The DFA-OUMWA was informed that all the seafarers are safe and have expressed their intention to continue working on board. The crewmembers will come home in time for Christmas.