2008-09-19 14:15:11 - MANILA.
Filipino seafarer groups want UN patrols in pirate-infested waters

A seafarers' group said Friday that only armed naval patrols by the United Nations (UN) in pirate-infested waters will reduce incidents of piracy and ship-jacking.

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Nelson Ramirez, United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) president, said that this measure is the only method which can prevent pirate attacks on merchant vessels as the latter have grown more daring in their attacks

due to their acquisition of fast boats capable of intercepting unescorted freighters and tankers in the high seas due to their long range.

He added that the Philippines and other nations with stakes in the unhindered passage of ships in international shipping lanes should do their best to persuade the UN to deploy naval patrol craft particularly in the waters of Somalia, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, where two merchant ships with largely Filipino crews, the Hongkong-based M/V Stolt Valor and Greek owned Maltese-flagged M/T Centauri, were attacked and boarded by pirates early this week.

The crews of the two ships, totaling to around 79 men, majority of which are Filipinos, were held captive by the Somalian pirates.