THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirms the seizure by Iranian authorities of the containership MSC Aries, with 4 Filipino seafarers on board.
Upon the directive of the President, “Wwe are in touch with the families of our dear seafarers and have assured them of full government support and assistance. We are also in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the licensed manning agency (LMA), the ship manager, and the operator to ensure the safety and well-being as well as work on the release of our dear seafarers,” said the DMW.
The said vessel is the container ship MSC Aries, it added in a statement shared on X by DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac.
“Upon the directive of the President, we are in touch with the families of our dear seafarers and have assured them of full government support and assistance,” the DMW said.
“We are also in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the licensed manning agency, ship manager and operator, to ensure the safety and well-being, as well as work on the release, of our dear seafarers,” it said.
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps helicopter boarden the Portugues-flagged MSC Aries and took it into Iranian waters on Saturday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported, according to Reuters.
“MSC, which operates the Aries, confirmed Iran had seized the ship and said it was working ‘with the relevant authorities’ for its safe return and the wellbeing of its 25 crew,” Reuters reported.
“MSC leases the Aries from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, Zodiac said in a statement, adding that MSC is responsible for all the vessel’s activities. Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer,” it added.
This incident prompted Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz to accuse Iran of piracy.
