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| Southeast Asia |
| Emotional return for hostages |
| 2009-05-03 |
| [Straits Times] TWENTY-THREE Philippine sailors abducted more than five months ago by Somali pirates returned home on Saturday for an emotional reunion with their families. Looking haggard but relieved, and led by their captain Abelardo Pacheco, the crew of the Philippine-flagged MT Stolt Strength was reunited with their families at Manila's international airport. The vessel and its crew were released on April 21, ending a 162-day ordeal during which Pacheco said they survived on prayer and constantly feared for their lives. 'Daily life was always a combination of fear and helplessness, hopelessness. It was the most negative feeling one could experience,' said a teary-eyed Mr Pacheco, 62, a veteran of the seas with 41 years' sailing experience. He said 'there were many attempts' made against the crew's lives as representatives of their vessel's owner, Sagana Shipping, negotiated a ransom. The amount eventually paid was not disclosed. He said the pirates had threatened to shoot them if they tried to escape, and that there were times he had to put himself between his crew and the gunmen. For second mate Roel de Guzman, the ordeal was a lesson in faith. He said he feared he would never again see his wife, Vilma, and their four children, aged eight to 16. 'But we prayed hard and we were not forgotten,' Mr De Guzman told AFP, as he tightly held his wife, who had waited for hours in the airport lobby. The release of the Stolt Strength, one of the ships longest-held by Somali pirates, has raised hopes for dozens of kidnapped Philippine sailors. The Philippines is the world's biggest supplier of sailors, with over 350,000 sailors manning oil tankers, luxury liners and passenger vessels worldwide. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 That's the way to go IDIOT, boost the pirates image. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-05-03 13:31 |