HOUTHI rebels released crew members of the M/V Galaxy Leader, including 17 Filipino seafarers, who were captured in November 2023.
“Our Filipino seafarers are now in the care of our Philippine Embassy in Muscat, Oman and will be reunited with their loved ones in the Philippines very soon,” said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday.
Marcos expressed gratitude to the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik, and his administration for the successful negotiations that led to the release of the hostages.
“I commend the concerned Philippine government agencies and private instrumentalities who worked tirelessly with foreign governments and entities for more than 429 days in making this momentous development possible,” Marcos said.
The rebels seized the ship in November 2023 and took it to the port of Hodeidah in Yemen, a region under Houthi control.
The rebels claimed the hijacking was in support of Palestinians in the context of the Hamas-Israel conflict.
In addition to the Filipinos, the crew included members from Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, and Romania, according to Galaxy Maritime.
In response to the incident, Marcos emphasized the importance of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers to ensure the safety of Filipino seafarers.
“This is to protect their rights and overall welfare, to promote their full employment and to ensure equal opportunities in the maritime industry—regardless of gender or creed—including equitable access to education, training and development, consistent with existing domestic and international laws, standards and conventions,” Marcos said.
Marcos signed the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers last September, one of his administration’s priority bills.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is currently processing the documentation for the 17 Filipino seafarers’ return to the Philippines.
“The Department is working on their immediate repatriation to Manila so that they could reunite with their long-suffering families as soon as possible,” the DFA said.
“Our successful efforts despite all the challenges prove that quiet diplomacy works. The men and women of the Department of Foreign Affairs will remain true to our calling to serve our country and people,” it added.
