Cargo ship with 20 Pinoy sailors hijacked in Somalia

MANILA, Philippines – A cargo ship with 20 Filipino sailors has been hijacked off the coast of Somalia, a Philippine official said yesterday.

Pirates climbed aboard the bulk carrier Stella Maris on Sunday and seized the ship in the Gulf of Aden, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos told reporters.

He said the Japanese owner has been in contact with the crew and they are safe. The ship was located off the northeastern tip of Somalia, he said.

Conejos ruled out paying a ransom to free the hostages, saying it is against the Philippine government’s policy.

“We look toward the local manning agents and the ship owner and the host country because they have the responsibility to ensure the safety and the earliest release of the crew,” he said.

Pirate attacks in Somalia and Nigeria have gone up in the first quarter of 2008, making Africa the world’s top piracy hotspot, the International Maritime Bureau reported earlier this month.

In April, Somali pirates seized a luxury French yacht with 30 crew, including 22 French and six Filipinos. A week later, French troops arrested six pirates after the hostages were released.   – Pia Lee-Brago, AP