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Freed Filipino seafarer to return home Friday

Philippines | National

Freed Filipino seafarer to return home Friday

By Joseph Pedrajas

â€‹One of the four Filipinos aboard a Portuguese-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz that was held by Iran is coming home to the Philippines on Friday, May 10, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

The seafarer's return came after he and six other crew members, including an Estonian and five Indian nationals, of MSC Aries were freed on May 9 following the ship's seizure by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard on April 13.

"The Philippines welcomes the good news that one of the four Filipino seamen at the MSC Aries has been released and is arriving home later today," DFA said in a statement.

"We appreciate Iran's gesture and the intercession of India in this matter," it added.

Meanwhile, three more Filipinos remain in Iran's captivity, along with 15 more seafarers aboard the ship.

The DFA had earlier promised that "no efforts will be spared to have [the Filipino seafarers'] released and returned home as possible."

"Advancing the welfare of our seafarers and other overseas nationals is an ongoing commitment of the administration of President Bongbong Marcos," DFA said.

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