THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, January 23, 2025, said it is expediting the repatriation of 17 Filipino seafarers who were freed after being held captive in Yemen for over a year.
According to the DFA, the seafarers will soon be reunited with their loved ones in Manila.
"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 in a statement.
The DFA said the release was made possible through the support and mediation efforts of the Sultanate of Oman.
"[W]e are eternally grateful," the DFA said.
"Our successful efforts despite all the challenges prove that quiet diplomacy works," the DFA added, emphasizing its commitment to protecting the welfare of Filipinos abroad.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday that all 17 Filipino seafarers can now return home to the Philippines.
The President also confirmed that the seafarers are now under the care of the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, Oman, and will soon be reunited with their families in the country.
The cargo vessel of the seafarers, M/V Galaxy Leader, was hijacked by Houthi rebels near Hodeidah, Yemen in November 2023 while it was en route to India.
Among its 25 crewmembers were 17 Filipinos, alongside crew members of various nationalities, including Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Mexicans, and Romanians. (JGS/VoxPop Philippines)