Philippines/Ukraine - Somali pirates

British-owned ship captured by pirates, Filipinos return home

Article published on the 2009-05-02 Latest update 2009-05-02 14:22 TU

One of 23 crew members aboard the tanker MV Stolt Strength held hostage by Somali pirates for five months weeps as he is greeted by a loved one at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila
(Photo: Reuters)

A British-owned ship with a Ukrainian crew has been captured by pirates off the coast of Somalia. The crew of a tanker held for five months has returned home to the Philippines.

The MV Ariana was captured overnight, with a crew of 24 Ukrainians aboard. It is British-owned but flying under a Maltese flag.

In the Philippines on Saturday, 23 Filipino seafarers received an emotional reception from their families when they arrived at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport. They had been held for five months after pirates captured the Philippine-flagged MT Stolt Strength.

Their captain, Abelard Pacheco, said they survived on prayer and feared for their lives all through their 162-day captivity.

"Daily life was always a combination of fear and helplessness, hopelessness. It was the most negative feeling one could experience," he said on arriving at the airport, adding that their were many attempts on their lives as the ship's owners, Sagana Shipping, negotiated a ransom.

“Captain Pacheco said he definitely believes that ransom was paid but he doesn’t know the amount,"  says correspondent Girlie Minao.

“The Filipino government is not directly involved in the negotiations," Minao says. "Most of the negotiations are being handled by the owners of the ships and the manning agencies … Filipino president Gloria Arroyo actually ordered a ban on the deployment of Filipino seafarers  on ships or vessels that would pass through the Gulf of Aden."