Philippine Embassy, uae reports SOmali captors free m/t lin 1 and its 20 all-filipino crewmembers 

17 July 2006 — Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Libran N. Cabactulan reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Somali captors have freed the M/T Lin 1 and its 20 all-Filipino crew at around 4:20 p.m. (local time) on Saturday, 15 July 2006. 

The M/T Lin 1 and its crew were held by Somali captors on 29 March 2006 after the Panamanian-registered vessel entered Somali waters.  The vessel is owned by the Akron Trade and Transport Company based in Fujairah, UAE. (Please refer to Press Release SFA-AGR-417-06, dated 1 June 2006, for the background information.) 

Ambassador Cabactulan said that the principal negotiator, Mr Manoj Sabharwal of Akron, informed the Ambassador of the news.  Mr. Sabharwal also said that the crew members were all safe and no one required any medical attention. 

On 16 July 2006 (UAE time), Mr. Jonathan Ellison, the Akron Senior Consultant who assisted in the negotiations, informed Ambassador Cabactulan that the M/T Lin 1 was already in international waters and would be meeting with another Akron vessel in high seas to refuel and to obtain food, water and other supplies.  Mr. Ellison said that the M/T Lin 1 is expected to arrive in Fujairah in about a week’s time. 

Ambassador Cabactulan then sent Consul General Antonio S. Curameng of the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, Labor Attaché Vicente Cabe and Welfare Officer Jun Mendoza to Fujairah to make appropriate arrangements upon the arrival of the Filipino crewmembers, including medical check-ups if required. 

Meanwhile, Consul General Curameng reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that he has spoken with Captain Pablo Buaya, the Filipino captain of the M/T Lin 1, who informed the Consul General that the crew are all in good health and were not harmed by their captors.  They also still had supplies of rice and potable water.  Captain Buaya likewise said that the M/T Lin 1 will be meeting with the ship Evita in two days’ time for refueling and provisioning of food and water.  The Captain stated that the M/T Lin 1 will arrive in Fujairah on 24 or 25 July 2006. 

Through Ambassador Cabactulan, Captain Buaya thanked the Philippine Government, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Filipino people for their prayers and support during the almost four months of their detention by Somali gunmen.  

After receiving the reports of Ambassador Cabactulan and Consul General Curameng, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Esteban B. Conejos, Jr. instructed the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) to inform the crew’s next-of-kin of the news. 

“This is welcome news for the relatives of the Filipino crew of the M/T Lin 1 as well as for the Filipino people.  The Government thanks the efforts of the shipowners as the primary negotiators for the eventual release of the ship and its crew,” Undersecretary Conejos said. 

The 20 Filipino crew members of the M/T Lin 1 are:

END

/jay

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