Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-in-charge Hans Cacdac said on Sunday, Jan. 14, that there is ongoing coordination between Philippine and Iranian authorities on the fate of the 18 Filipino seafarers being held after their vessel was seized in the Gulf of Oman.
A map showing the region around the Gulf of Oman where the oil tanker St. Nikolas was seized by the Iranian Navy. (Kevin Trublet, Anibal Maiz Caceres / AFP)
In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, the official cited information from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the agency in charge of negotiations for the release of the seafarers.
“Ayon naman sa DFA, mayroon na ring pakikipag-usap sa larangan na ‘to sa Iranian authorities (According to the DFA, there are discussions in this field with the Iranian authorities),” he said.
Cacdac repeated an earlier report about the “safe condition” of the seafarers.
“Alam natin na sila ay ligtas sa ngayon at tayo ay nagdadasal kasama ng pamilya ng mga nasa St. Nikolas na sila’y makauwi na sa lalong madaling panahon (We know that they are safe now and we are praying with the families of those in St. Nikolas for them to go home as soon as possible),” he added.
However, the official did not reveal more details about their eventual release and repatriation to the Philippines because it is being handled by the DFA.
Iranian state media reports that St. Nikolas tanker, which was carrying Iraqi crude and was bound for Turkey, was seized last week by Iran’s Navy in retaliation for the confiscation last year of the same vessel and its oil by the United States.
The seizure was in accordance with a court order, state-run IRNA news agency added.
The crew is said to be composed of the 18 Filipinos and one Greek national.