GMM Safety | 2024-02-23 | Case Incidents |

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Philippines Undersecretary, Eduardo Jose de Vega, from the Department of Foreign Affairs, has confirmed that one out of eighteen Filipino seafarers onboard the seized oil tanker ST NIKOLAS was released earlier this month. He did not share further details of the seafarer but mentioned that Philippines Authorities were working towards releasing other crew members onboard.

Iranians seized the oil tanker ST NIKOLAS on January 11th and, since then, has been anchored in Bandar Abbas anchorage. Greece was successful in getting a cadet released on January 19th. The ship owner, Empire Navigation, has said that the crew is safe onboard and hopeful that additional releases will be coming soon.

De Vega said that nothing is clear about the fate of the ST NIKOLAS, and the matter is in the Iranian Courts. Philippine agencies are actively trying to gain the release of crew onboard ST NIKOLAS and GALAXY LEADER, the car carrier that was seized by Houthis in November.